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Habitat Planning and Investment Funding Education and Monitoring Case Studies More information Resources

Educators play an important role in monarch conservation; whether you are a formal PreK-12 teacher; an informal or environmental educator; a college professor; or something in between, your institution can support and encourage conservation actions for monarchs and pollinators that have the potential to go far beyond one lesson or outreach event. By teaching and spreading awareness about monarchs and pollinators, you have the power not only to foster a love for conservation and the natural world in youth and your community but to be the driving force behind getting people across the nation involved in this important effort. Your role is crucial in teaching the next generation to be good environmental stewards; they are the future of monarch conservation!

Monarchs offer an opportunity to teach young people critical thinking and to foster curiosity about the connections between diverse areas and people. Monarchs are globally distributed and are admired across cultures and borders.

Creating Monarch Habitat for Education

Habitat Planning and Investment

Monarch habitat is a pollinator habitat and, thus, is essential to our food supply. Pollinators are responsible for one of every three bites of food we eat. Pollinator habitat adds beauty to any setting with its vibrant displays of flowers and attracts insects, birds, and other wildlife. A demonstration or schoolyard garden or habitat requires some maintenance but is an enjoyable opportunity for hands-on education and to get community members involved by helping to keep up the space and interacting with students.

Start by thinking about potential areas to install pollinator habitat. If possible, you’ll want an area that is sunny, easily accessible, and in plain sight for passersby. If students are helping to plan and install the habitat, have them help with the design by brainstorming, drawing out what to plant and where (based on colors, plant height, etc.), and taking measurements of the space. If you are in a school, getting the full support of school administration and maintenance staff will help ensure the long-term success of your garden. Use Monarch Joint Venture’s Monarch Habitat Assessment Tool and Schoolyard Butterfly Gardens handout to inform your initial planning efforts. The National Wildlife Federation offers schoolyard habitat planning tools and resources as well.

Funding

There are a lot of funding opportunities out there for monarch and pollinator habitat in schoolyard gardens. The MJV has compiled a list of garden grant opportunities. Monarch Watch offers milkweeds for large restoration projects (greater than 2 acres), which can be applied for here. Planting milkweeds native to your ecoregion is important. Seek out local sources of pesticide-free plants.

Education and Monitoring

Explore and utilize available curriculum lessons, or create your own, to engage students in outdoor learning.

Many certification programs are available to register or certify your habitat for increased exposure and generating awareness. Use these to share your story and display signage to draw attention to the site and its value for monarchs and pollinators. Create your own signage to inform others about the purpose of the habitat, how it came to be, and what they can do in their own yards.

You can also learn about and provide valuable information to scientists about how monarchs are utilizing habitat in your pollinator garden through citizen science. These projects provide a great opportunity to involve students or community members in your monarch or pollinator project while contributing to a larger scientific effort. Citizen science is also an excellent way to actively engage your students in every stage of the scientific process. Monarch citizen science opportunities are described here.

For informal educators, there are many existing resources and activities available that you can conduct with all ages to spread the word about monarchs.

Case Studies

Below are some examples of students benefiting from pollinator habitat along with the monarchs:

More information

Resources

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  • Bixler, Robert D., Floyd, Myron E. & Hammitt, William E. (2002). Environmental Socialization: Quantitative Tests of the Childhood Play Hypothesis, Environment and Behavior, 34(6), 795-818
  • Bunting, T.E. & L.R. Cousins (1985) Environmental dispositions among school-age children. Environment and Behavior, 17(6)
  • Chawla, Louise, (1988) Children's Concern for the Natural Environment, Children's Environments, (5)3
  • Chipeniuk, Raymond C. (1994). Naturalness in Landscape: An Inquiry from a Planning Perspective (PhD dissertation), University of Waterloo, Ontario.
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  • Wilson, Ruth (1993). Fostering a sense of wonder during the early childhood years. Columbus, OH: Greyden
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