Formed in 2015, the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership (AMCP) is a consortium of over 30 state and federal agencies, municipalities, non-governmental organizations, businesses, academia, and private individuals working together to conserve and protect monarch butterflies, pollinators, and their habitats. The AMCP works to help Arkansans share an appreciation for the importance and value of monarch butterflies and pollinators and works to conserve quality habitat that supports robust populations across The Natural State.
In 2018, the AMCP finalized the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Plan. This statewide plan outlines the strategic objectives and goals for conservation efforts in Arkansas that benefit native pollinators and monarch butterflies. Since finalization, a full-time coordinator position was created with the United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) and Quail Forever to help implement the Plan.
The AMCP has achieved many objectives in the last few years. Recently the AMCP finalized and signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between Partners. The Research Subcommittee held the first “Monarch and Pollinator Research Forum” in September 2019. In 2019, the Outreach and Education Subcommittee gave over 40 presentations and set up over 24 exhibits and informational booths reaching over 3,000 people. The Habitat Subcommittee is currently compiling acres of monarch and pollinator habitat enhanced or created since 2018. Over 24,500 acres of private land have been impacted that have utilized federal and state cost-share programs since 2018.
For more information about objectives of the Arkansas Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Plan, please visit ArkansasMonarchs.org or contact Leslie Fowler at LFowler@QuailForever.org.
MJV is excited to join forces with the Arkansas Monarch Conservation Partnership to further conservation plans in Arkansas and across the country!