Monarch Joint Venture Blog
Remote Sensing on Energy and Transportation Rights-of-Way
As habitat loss threatens monarch butterfly populations, the Monarch Joint Venture uses remote sensing technology to assess pollinator habitat along energy and transportation rights-of-way in Minnesota to inform conservation efforts and future restoration opportunities. Read More
Western Monarch Population Continues to Decline
The 28th annual Western Monarch Count has reported a peak population of just 9,119 butterflies this winter. Read More
Celebrating 2024’s Remote Sensing Program Milestones and Next Steps
While we close out the 2024 remote sensing field season, we reflect on the opportunities that have allowed our innovative program to grow. 2024 marks the second year that MJV has applied remote sensing across a large regional landscape, surveying over 5,000 acres across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. This year, we made significant progress toward building a cohesive, shareable, and mappable database of monarch habitat that also improves the capabilities of the conservation community to accurately monitor and evaluate pollinator habitat. Read More
Unveiling the Latest in Monarch Conservation Research: A Recap of MJV’s 2023 Annual Research Review
Since 2020, the Monarch Joint Venture (MJV) has been diligently organizing annual research reviews to ensure that partner organizations, networks, and enthusiasts remain informed about the most recent findings in monarch conservation. These reviews serve as a platform for summarizing and discussing peer-reviewed research, commentaries, and technical reports related to monarch conservation efforts. Read More
Eastern Monarch Butterfly Population Falls to Less than One Hectare in the 2023-2024 Overwintering Season
Monarch butterflies occupied 0.9 hectares, 1.31 less than the 2.21 hectares in the 2022-2023 overwintering season. This is the first time since the 2013-2014 overwintering season that the eastern monarch population has occupied less than one hectare. Read More