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 Duluth community partners to create habitat for monarchs

[Duluth, MN] - The City of Duluth Parks and Recreation division has teamed up with Duluth Monarch Buddies, Arrowhead Chapter of Wild Ones, Friends of the Lakewalk, and Hartley Nature Center to identify areas in Hartley Park and along the Lakewalk Trail where milkweed and other pollinator-friendly plants could be planted.  These non-profit groups, plus interested volunteers, will plant seeds and native plants this spring and summer. The effort will kick off with a volunteer milkweed planting event in Hartley Park on Sunday, May 20th from 1-3pm. Register to volunteer at www.duluthmn.gov/parks/volunteer.

The goal is to increase habitat for monarch butterflies, which only lay their eggs on milkweed and from which caterpillars feed on the leaves.  Pollinators such as butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, moths, and other insects will benefit from these energy sources as well.  Due to herbicide use in crops, changing farm practices, and urban growth, pollinator habitats have been drastically reduced. “Corridors” of plants are needed as an alternative resource for pollinator-friendly food. Two waystations (monarch habitat) that will be highly visible to the public are underway at 26th Avenue East and the Lakewalk Trail and at 43rd Avenue East and Superior Street.  These sites are funded by Duluth Monarch Buddies and Pheasants Forever and will be registered as official monarch waystations at MonarchWatch.org.

The public is encouraged to get involved:

Plant Milkweed at Hartley Park:
Volunteer to plant milkweed at Hartley Nature Center on Sunday, May 20, 2018 from 1pm - 3pm. Register at http://www.duluthmn.gov/parks/volunteer/.
Plants were awarded through a Monarch Watch grant submitted by Wild Ones and Hartley. 

Attend the 3rd Annual Duluth Monarch Festival:
Join the celebration at the 3rd Annual Duluth Monarch Festival, sponsored by Duluth Monarch Buddies. This year's festival is Saturday, June 9 at the Coppertop Church (First United Methodist on Skyline Parkway) from 10 am – 2 pm. The Festival offers free milkweed seeds, milkweed & other pollinator plants for sale, children's activities, monarch films, mini-sessions on the MN DOT's I 35 monarch corridor, creating a butterfly garden, raising & tagging butterflies, nature photography. Cost is $5 for adults. Children are free.

Learn More at:

Wild Ones – Arrowhead Chapter | arrowhead.wildones.org
Duluth Monarch Buddies | duluthmonarchbuddies@gmail.com    
Friends of the Lakewalk | www.friendsofthelakewalk.org/

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