There's an article in the San Francisco Chronicle about the Great Sunflower project.
Highly recommended.
Also, starting this year, participants can make observations on native plants, including bee balm (Monarda), tickseed (Coreopsis) and goldenrod (Solidago.)
Join the project and contribute your observations. It's easy and fun.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Tribal and city kids help Monarchs and pollinators
In Michigan's Upper Penninsula, teens from the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community (KBIC) and urban youth from Marquette are helping Monarchs and other pollinators. In 2008 they built butterfly homes and raised native plants that they will plant in 2009.
Their project is called the Zaagkii Project
See the write-up here for details.
Their project is called the Zaagkii Project
See the write-up here for details.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Kids and monarchs - Journey North
Most kids I know are eager for signs of Spring, especially when the weather is gray and chilly.
For a detailed view that yes, Spring is coming, check out the Monarch migration information at Journey North. Kids, parents and teachers across North America enter their observations. Everyone can see the patterns of the annual migration, along with photos, maps and first-hand reports.
For a detailed view that yes, Spring is coming, check out the Monarch migration information at Journey North. Kids, parents and teachers across North America enter their observations. Everyone can see the patterns of the annual migration, along with photos, maps and first-hand reports.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Monarch Migration on PBS
1) The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies: Tuesday, January 27
A TV show not to be missed - The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies--can be seen on PBS this coming Tuesday, Jan. 27th at 8:00 p.m. EST. Follow the 2,000 mile migration of Monarch butterflies to a sanctuary in the Highlands of Mexico. Monarchs face many challenges in both the United States and Mexico, and their annual migration is becoming an endangered phenomenon. "You will be awestruck to see what these little flying jewels go through to complete their brief life cycle," says Dr. Lincoln Brower who is featured in the program. "Each one of us can make a difference in increasing the Monarch population."
Read Chip Taylor's blog posting at http://monarchwatch.org/blog/
2) Journey North Begins! Thursday, February 5
Journey North begins in February when the monarchs are at their winter refuge deep in central Mexico. The monarch's unique winter habitat is found on only 12 mountaintops on the planet, and the monarch's story is one of nature's most incredible examples of adaptation and survival. In a unique partnership, you can join students and scientists across North America this spring to track the monarch butterfly's migration from Mexico. Sign up for email updates.
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/index.html
A TV show not to be missed - The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies--can be seen on PBS this coming Tuesday, Jan. 27th at 8:00 p.m. EST. Follow the 2,000 mile migration of Monarch butterflies to a sanctuary in the Highlands of Mexico. Monarchs face many challenges in both the United States and Mexico, and their annual migration is becoming an endangered phenomenon. "You will be awestruck to see what these little flying jewels go through to complete their brief life cycle," says Dr. Lincoln Brower who is featured in the program. "Each one of us can make a difference in increasing the Monarch population."
Read Chip Taylor's blog posting at http://monarchwatch.org/blog/
2) Journey North Begins! Thursday, February 5
Journey North begins in February when the monarchs are at their winter refuge deep in central Mexico. The monarch's unique winter habitat is found on only 12 mountaintops on the planet, and the monarch's story is one of nature's most incredible examples of adaptation and survival. In a unique partnership, you can join students and scientists across North America this spring to track the monarch butterfly's migration from Mexico. Sign up for email updates.
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/index.html
Monday, January 5, 2009
Scouts build a wetland walkway
Troop 4 and Eagle Scout candidate Rob I. built a walkway in November 2008. Located in Ann Arbor's Mary Beth Doyle Park, the walkway protects native wetland plants in the former channel of Mallett's Creek.
See Rob's photos on his page here.
See Rob's photos on his page here.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009 - the year to honor connections
2009 is the year to honor connections among the plants and wildlife in our schoolyards and our parks. Each place is threaded by relationships - butterflies feast on the nectar of wildflowers, birds eat seeds and spread them, and other organisms turn waste back into soil and nutrients.
Among the humans who enjoy plants, birds, and insects, there are connections as well.
For example, Audubon has a downloadable poster (11x17) of a schoolyard alive with birds.
The National Wildlife federation has a schoolyard habitat program with many useful resources. Their book Schoolyard Habitats: A How-to Guide for K-12 School Communities is essential reading.
Several projects at large and small schools have been supported by the Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education program. Read their success stories here.
Among the humans who enjoy plants, birds, and insects, there are connections as well.
For example, Audubon has a downloadable poster (11x17) of a schoolyard alive with birds.
The National Wildlife federation has a schoolyard habitat program with many useful resources. Their book Schoolyard Habitats: A How-to Guide for K-12 School Communities is essential reading.
Several projects at large and small schools have been supported by the Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education program. Read their success stories here.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
schools and Monarch Waystations
Numerous Michigan schools have registered their butterfly gardens as Monarch Waystations.
As their website says "...we need to create, conserve, and protect milkweed/monarch habitats. We need you to help us and help monarchs by creating "Monarch Waystations" (monarch habitats) in home gardens, at schools, businesses, parks, zoos, nature centers, along roadsides, and on other unused plots of land. ... By creating and maintaining a Monarch Waystation you are contributing to monarch conservation, an effort that will help assure the preservation of the species and the continuation of the spectacular monarch migration phenomenon."
Some include:
Let me know if your school, camp or other youth project is not listed.
As their website says "...we need to create, conserve, and protect milkweed/monarch habitats. We need you to help us and help monarchs by creating "Monarch Waystations" (monarch habitats) in home gardens, at schools, businesses, parks, zoos, nature centers, along roadsides, and on other unused plots of land. ... By creating and maintaining a Monarch Waystation you are contributing to monarch conservation, an effort that will help assure the preservation of the species and the continuation of the spectacular monarch migration phenomenon."
Some include:
| Evergreen Elementary Butterfly Garden | Allendale | MI | 49401 |
| Way Elementary School | Bloomfield Hills | MI | 48302 |
| West Shore-Torrey Hill Elementary | Fenton | MI | 48430 |
| Gilbey Elementary School | Kalamazoo | MI | 49009 |
| St. Joseph School | Lake Orion | MI | 48362 |
| Hugger Elementary Outdoor Classroom | Rochester | MI | 48306 |
| Presbyterian Camps Butterfly Garden | Saugutuck | MI | 49453 |
| Lakeshore High School | Stevensville | MI | 49127 |
| Fischer Elementary School | Taylor | MI | 48180 |
Let me know if your school, camp or other youth project is not listed.
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