ARIZONA MILKWEEDS FOR MONARCHS
HABITAT CONSERVATION
Yearly production of healthy, vigorous milkweeds and seeds using known provenances.
Creation and maintenance of milkweed habitat in our garden spaces in the Village of Oak Creek, our milkweed prairie at Rogers Lake, and recognized site on historic Route 66.
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
Provide internships to University students and Master Gardeners; k-12 programs and eduction packets; creation of local public gardens; milkweed workshops; public presentations.
RESEARCH
Study methods to improve milkweed growth and reproduction; develop better methods for germination and plant health; monarch usage of plants and preferences for various milkweed species; natural enemies and methods of mitigation
PARTNERSHIPS
We are a non-profit that works with many local, state and national organizations to promote milkweed use and monarch conservation and education. Let us partner with you!
Partners: Rotary Club of Sedona Village; NAU School of Forestry; Terroir Seeds; USDA Forest Service; Flagstaff Parks and Rec.
Funders
We are supported by multiple foundations and organizations. We thank the following groups for their funding support: Rotary Club of Sedona Village; Burton Family Foundation, Ingebritson Family Foundation, and NAU Foundation
OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES WE OFFER
We grow native milkweed species - providing 1000's plants and seeds for habitat conservation and promotion of monarchs and other pollinators. Given our location, at mid- and high-elevation, we have access to a variety of ecozones and milkweeds (over 15 milkweed species!) and are committed to educate, inspire, and prepare our stakeholders - from private landowners, gardeners, k-12 schools, to state and federal agencies. Our focus is on the milkweed - making sure the right species are planted in the right locations.
OUR CURRENT PARTNERS & PARTICIPANTS
Monarch Joint Venture, Arizona Monarch Collaborative, Northern Arizona University, Red Rock State Park, Verde Valley School, Coconino County Master Gardeners, Maricopa County Master Gardeners, Yavapai County Master Gardeners, Arboretum at Flagstaff, Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Terroir Seeds, Southwest Monarch Study, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Ecological Restoration Institute, and Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix.
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Western Monarch Update 2022 - 2023
From Terroir Seeds 1/1/2023
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In early October, we gave you a remarkably positive update on the western Monarch butterfly count in California from 2021 - showing an increased Monarch population that hadn’t been seen since 2016 of 247,237 Monarchs.
The preliminary numbers are in from this year's Thanksgiving count from 183 overwintering sites in California that ran from 11/12 to 12/4 of this year. The final numbers are expected late next month, followed shortly by the counts in Mexico.
This year, more than 300,000 Monarchs were counted, with the largest single location at a private location in Santa Barbara County of 34,180 Monarchs.
These numbers haven’t been seen since the fall of 2000 - 22 years ago!
While this is good news, more milkweed and nectar plants are needed for more corridors to house and feed the Monarchs, as total numbers are still seriously below those routinely seen in the 1980s.
We’ve talked about home gardeners being the crucial "silent partners" in the recovery of the Monarch butterflies before. In fact, home gardeners may be the crucial link in keeping Monarchs alive by creating multiple milkweed corridors with both nectar plants for adults and host milkweed for larvae to use during migration, right in their backyard.
