A female monarch butterfly. Photo by Kenneth Dwain Harrelson
Seven tribes in Oklahoma are using their lands to restore habitat for the monarch butterfly. The Chickasaw Nation, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, the Miami Nation, the Osage Nation, the Muscogee Nation and the Seminole Nation will each plant at least 2,500 milkweed on their lands this year and another 2,500 next year. The plants are crucial because that's the only place where the female butterflies lay their eggs. “We’re looking to build up their habitats in our Pottawatomie County community, which are along their migration path from Central Mexico to the Great Lakes,” said Dr. Kelli Mosteller of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. “Our tribe, like many others, understands the importance of these creatures on our lands and agricultural sector, so we were thrilled to participate with such a fantastic group of partners.”
The Building Tribal Capacity for Monarch Habitat Restoration is funded in part by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.
The tribes are working with the University of Kansas Monarch Watch program and the Euchee Butterfly Farm in Oklahoma. The project is funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and by matching funds. The monarch butterfly population has dropped considerably in recent years. Get the Story:
Partnership underway to rebuild monarch habitats in Oklahoma (The Shawnee News-Star 5/11)
Environmental stewardship; Chickasaw project supports monarch butterfly resurgence (The Chickasaw Times May 2016)
Imperiled monarch butterflies get some much needed help from Native American tribes (Reuters 5/12)
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