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The MJV is excited to announce a partnership with the Duluth Monarch Buddies (DMB), a non-profit monarch conservation organization in Duluth, MN. The Duluth Monarch Buddies is very active in the Duluth community, where they have many planting projects, organize an annual monarch festival, and work to educate the public on monarch conservation. Their mission is to “restore monarch habitat in the Duluth area and educate Duluth residents about the ecology of monarchs and other pollinators”.
They began the Annual Duluth Monarch Festival in 2016. They use the festival as a tool to educate the community on all things monarch, including their migration, life cycle, need for habitat, and current threats. The festival also serves as a way to distribute milkweed and other pollinator-friendly plants for the creation of habitat. Besides organizing the festival, DMB has created many new habitats for monarchs within or near areas such as the Western Waterfront (where over 600 plugs of milkweed were planted), the Hartley Nature Center, recreation areas, schools, backyard gardens, and more. They continue to serve as a resource for Duluth residents looking to create official Monarch Waystations.
DMB works to educate all groups of people in Duluth, including staff in the Mayor’s office. Because of their collaboration with her office, the city of Duluth no longer uses neonicotinoids on city property. They will continue to advocate for pollinator-friendly practices and will educate residents and provide resources and information on citizen science participation and monarch conservation. We are excited to partner with Duluth Monarch Buddies to increase awareness and action for monarchs and other pollinators in northern Minnesota.
To learn more about Duluth Monarch Buddies, please visit their website at https://www.facebook.com/Duluth-Monarch-Buddies-218219158526359/.
The Monarch Joint Venture is 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 provided by Linda Gebhart.