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NY4Wildlife and NY4Whales – Rescuing Monarch Butterfly plants (Asclepias syriaca) that will be mowed down by NYS DOT
June 11, 2023
A message from NY4Whales:
Sunday, June 11 (afternoon mostly!) to harvest milkweed to plant in two WC Parks! JOIN US and help save this amazing, lovely butterfly, and take a few plants home for your property, too! Contact us for the exact times and locations!
We Are Helping Save A Species
Monarch Butterflies
The 2023 Season
This year we at ny4wildlife and ny4whales are continuing to rescue and transplant Asclepias syriaca (Milkweed, Milkbud), the only plant that the endangered Monarch Butterfly can lay its eggs on for reproduction. These plants will be mowed down by the NYS DOT throughout our area in the very near future leaving no habitat for the migrating monarch to lay its eggs on. It’s our job to rescue the plants for monarch butterfly reproduction!
We hear of similar situations in many areas. State DOT officials often indiscriminately mow everything down around roadways, which may now include what can be labeled as “Endangered Species Habitat”, with the listing of the Monarch Butterfly as endangered by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Asclepias syriaca is the sole plant that can help replenish this endangered species, for its tiny larvae and caterpillars can only eat the plant’s leaves to survive and grow. Without cultivating and protecting the milkweed plant, monarch numbers will continue to crash. There are several species of milkweed, and one of them (which occurs in western states) has been designated as endangered also. With the listings it is urgent that we rescue these plants in our area and find a safe sunny home for the monarch to reproduce and continue its journey north, making its miraculous round trip to overwinter in Mexico. Please consider helping us with our efforts.
We have agreements and permits with the New York State Department of Transportation to allow us to harvest plants in several locations again this year, and our permit has been extended until July, 2024. The NYS DOT has been exceptionally helpful with our efforts, and we couldn’t be happier that officials have been mowing around stands and halting the mowing until we can clear out the viable plants!
We also have agreements with the Westchester County Department of Parks and Recreation to begin furnishing them with rescued Asclepias syriaca to encourage Monarch Butterfly reproduction and help bring the species back from its current near-extinction levels!
Westchester County has 50 parks throughout the Parks system. Currently we are delivering for two parks, the Lenoir Preserve, and Cranberry Lake this year! We are doing this on a trial basis to be sure the plants will survive the transplant (we know they will!) before bringing more harvested plants to other parks. Parks are great locations for the plants and monarchs, somewhat apart from the noisy bustle of traffic and human activities!
WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our non-profit 501(c)(3), NY4Whales and NY4Wildlife hopes to keep costs down with the help of the great volunteers on this list. Please consider joining us, and in the process, you can keep a few plants for yourself and your favorite sunny locations too!
Tomorrow in central Yonkers, late morning, and then will transport the plants to Cranberry Lake tomorrow and assist with planting in their preferred location. Please contact us [email protected], for the exact times and location. Let’s hope the weather will cooperate!
Do you have milkweed stands/plants on your property? Let us know! WC Parks is collecting locations for milkweed plants in the area as a tracker of possible “monarch pathway” locations. Please send an email for more information.
THANK YOU for caring – for whales, dolphins, butterflies, birds…
and all the rest.
TOGETHER we can make a difference and help create and sustain the habitats that we and they all need to help “heal the earth”