Conservancy receives grant to help save pollinators

The Nature Conservancy received a nearly $100,000 grant April 5 to conserve monarch butterflies and other insect pollinators in the Natural State.

This was one of $1.7 million in grants that the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation gave to conserve insect pollinators in Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, according to a foundation news release. The grants will generate $3.3 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $5 million.

“Monarch butterflies and pollinators make essential contributions to natural ecosystems, agriculture and the economy,” Jeff Trandahl, foundation executive director and chief executive officer, said in the news release.

The grant is focused on enhancing monarch butterfly habitats on rights of way and public lands. The nonprofit plans to use the money to restore habitat to attract pollinators through prescribed fires, removing invasive species, and establishing native species in partnership with Arkansas Department of Transportation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, communications manager Kim Baker said.

“Improving habitat at our public and private lands in Northwest Arkansas and Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge will help pollinators, like monarchs, have additional places to stop as they migrate each year,” Baker said.

In addition to the $99,999 grant, this project has matching funds of $143,500 for a total project amount of $243,499.