Our wish is that this project will enlighten the community about the importance of conserving, preserving, and developing the habitats of the Monarch Butterfly and provide a place where they can observe them and learn about their life cycle, migration, and the plants/habitat of butterflies. Our hope is that through our service, the public library and community will continue to use this habitat for hands-on, nature-inspired education and learning for many years.
First we research and investigate the Monarch Butterfly habitat by learning it's life cycle, migratory patterns, host plants, nectar plants. Next, we find a good site for the development of an appropriate habitat; we wanted it to be free and accessible to the community 24/7, so we asked the community library if they would allow us to develop this habitat for the Monarch butterfly on library property. After discussion with library representatives, we were given permission. We have begun observing the site and discussing what will need to be done to the area in order to ensure that it will be a place that Monarchs will want to visit and lay eggs. We have begun to amend the soil with organic compost in order to plant vegetation that will attract the butterflies. After doing this, we will be planting more throughout the summer and fall. We will check in with the library and keep them informed of our progress, and the plants that are placed there.
