The MJV is pleased to announce that Earth Discovery Institute has joined the partnership! San Diego-based Earth Discovery Institute (EDI) works to inspire stewardship of San Diego’s native biodiversity through environmental education and conservation. EDI’s education programs have reached nearly 39,000 children with science-based, hands-on curriculum, and they are actively working to restore native habitats with the help of a dedicated corps of volunteers.
Practiced in the art of collaborative conservation, EDI has partnered with the San Diego Pollinator Alliance to develop the South County Native Milkweed Farm. Using locally collected narrowleaf milkweed seed, the farm has tripled their production of native milkweed in only its second season of growing! EDI has utilized the farm not only for milkweed production, but also as a tool for educating the public about the importance of planting native milkweeds, and by co-hosting seed cleaning events. To expand their reach, they share their native seed with two local native plant nurseries for use in restoration projects, public sale, and for educational purposes.
The western monarch population can be bolstered by knowledge sharing, a focus on native milkweed availability, and opportunities to educate the public. We are excited to have the Earth Discovery Institute join the partnership and bring their collaborative conservation experience to the network! To learn more about the Earth Discovery Institute, please visit https://earthdiscovery.org/
The Monarch Joint Venture is a 501c3 nonprofit organization and a national partnership of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses and academic programs working together to conserve the monarch butterfly migration. The content in this article does not necessarily reflect the positions of all Monarch Joint Venture partners. Header photo courtesy of Earth Discovery Institute, Tim Stahl.