In September, NIPSCO, one of Indiana's largest natural gas and electric companies, kicked off Charity of Choice, a volunteer campaign aiming to log over 1,000 service hours in a single month. Through the Dollars for Doers program, NIPSCO, and the NiSource Charitable Foundation recognize employee volunteerism by providing financial donations or service grants to nonprofits based on the number of volunteer hours performed by employees.
As part of this initiative, NIPSCO employees teamed up with the Monarch Joint Venture (MJV) and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IN DNR) for a special event at Pisgah Marsh focused on tagging monarch butterflies.
Monarch tagging, a method known as mark and recapture, is crucial for understanding the migration patterns and population dynamics of these butterflies. Each fall, millions of eastern monarch butterflies embark on a remarkable journey to their overwintering grounds in the oyamel fir forests of Mexico. By tagging monarchs, scientists gain valuable insights into their annual migration patterns. This information supports the development of effective conservation strategies to protect and restore monarch populations, which have faced significant declines.
“Team members in operations, scheduling, warehouse and environmental all came together to help our local ecosystem and contribute to International research," said Andrea Nichols, Team Leader of Environmental Inspection for NIPSCO. “We learned more about how proper land management such as pollinator and native species health has a huge impact on NIPSCO operations and how our company is supporting the monarch with habitat in our rights of way. It's so rewarding to know that the work we engaged in supported not just our local area, but our operations and greater ecological goals as well.”
This community science initiative combined fun with meaningful conservation work. Volunteers not only enjoyed hands-on learning about monarchs but also contributed to important research efforts.
Beyond Tagging: NIPSCO's Commitment to Pollinator Conservation
NIPSCO's commitment to environmental stewardship goes beyond tagging monarchs. Through their Environmental Action Grant, NIPSCO funded a joint project with the Monarch Joint Venture and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to create a 16-acre high-quality prairie habitat at Cedar Swamp. This project benefits not only monarchs but also a diverse array of pollinators and other wildlife, contributing to the overall health of the ecosystem.
NIPSCO is also an enrollee in the Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA), a voluntary agreement encouraging landowners and managers to implement conservation practices that benefit monarchs. By participating in the CCAA, NIPSCO demonstrates their proactive approach to conservation, ensuring that their operations and land management practices positively impact monarch habitat and population recovery.
“We are incredibly grateful for NIPSCO’s dedication to pollinator conservation and biodiversity,” said Robert Seilheimer, Development Manager for the Monarch Joint Venture. “Their support and work are making a real difference for monarchs, other pollinators, and the environment in Northern Indiana.”
Learn More:
To discover more about NIPSCO’s environmental efforts, visit NIPSCO.com/Environment.
For details on the pollinator habitat project at Cedar Swamp, please visit MJV.com/CedarSwamp.