KSBW 8 News Story on Monarch Overwintering Signage Project
The dangers of releasing captive-bred monarch butterflies into the wild was recently covered by KSBW Action News 8. The segment discussed a project spearheaded by CARCD, RCD of Santa Cruz County, and Groundswell Coastal Ecology to work with California State Parks to place signage at monarch overwintering sites in Santa Cruz, including Natural Bridges and Lighthouse Field State Parks, to educate people of the harmful impacts captive-bred monarchs can have on the wild monarch population. Watch the news segment below.
Here are the things you can do to help monarchs:
- Plant native nectar plants in your garden
- Plant native milkweed if you are 5 or more miles from the coast
- Ensure plants you buy are pesticide free and limit pesticide use
- Become a community scientist to collect data on monarchs and milkweed (Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper)