Bills to thwart collapse of butterflies
Congressman Jimmy Panetta announced on Saturday the introduction of a pair of bills that would study, fund and protect the Western Monarch butterfly population, a species on a fast road to extinction and which are important to the cities of Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz.
Speaking at the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum, Panetta laid out the reasons the migratory butterflies need protecting through the Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act, or MONARCH, in addition to the introduction of the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act.
Panetta said the western monarch population has fallen to just 1% of the numbers seen in the 1980s.
“Something is wrong,” he said. “Something is leading to the shrinking numbers and depletion of this species. The numbers are staggering and are leading to the imminent risk of extinction.”
Exact causes of the dramatic drop in the population are not well understood. Habitat loss from deforestation in Mexico is key. Other causes could include overuse of herbicides and pesticides, climate change‘s fluctuating weather patterns, developmental sprawl and the conversion of U.S. grasslands into ranches and farmlands.
“We don’t want to lose this important pollinator for our crops and this icon of our communities,” Panetta said.
The majority of overwintering sites along the Pacific Coast are located within 1.5 miles of the Pacific Ocean or San Francisco Bay. Monarchs seek out very specific
microclimate conditions, including dappled sunlight, high humidity, access to fresh water and an absence of freezing temperatures or high winds.
Among the aspects of the bipartisan MONARCH legislation is the need for more planting of milkweed and nectar species and protecting existing habitats.
The legislation would authorize $62.5 million for projects aimed at conserving the western monarch and an additional $62.5 million to implement the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, which was prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in January 2019.
The Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act would establish a federal grant program available to state departments of transportation and Native American tribes to carry out pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rights-of-way. The steep decline of pollinator populations poses a serious threat to California farmers and the American food supply, Panetta said.
The bills were introduced by Panetta, D-Carmel Valley, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon. Rep. Salud Carbajal, whose district includes portions of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, and Illinois Republican Rep. Rodney Davis co-led the introduction of the bipartisan bills in the House.
On hand Saturday were Pacific Grove Mayor Bill Peake and Santa Cruz Mayor Donna Meyers, who is also a biologist. Peake described the butterflies as “part of the community’s DNA that includes the city’s annual Butterfly Parade.”
The question becomes what would happen to Butterfly Town USA if there were no butterflies?
“The community recognized the need to conserve monarch habitat by purchasing land for the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary,” Peake said. “But we can’t do it alone and applaud efforts by Congressman Panetta to encourage others to join us so that monarchs thrive well into the future.”
Meyers lamented the loss of so many butterflies in two important overwintering habitats in Santa Cruz — Natural Bridges State Park and Lighthouse Field State Park.
“Hundreds of thousands of western monarchs used to make their way through Santa Cruz and our beloved Natural Bridges State Park,” Meyers said. “This year official estimates were around 550. These beautiful butterflies are falling prey to the effects of climate change, disappearing habitat and the use of pesticides. We are so thankful for Congressman Panetta’s efforts to save this critical part of our coastal ecosystem before it’s too late.”