Status of the MWN, Tag Recoveries, Migration News and More

As you know from previous newsletters, the Monarch Waystation Network is in a transition period. Funding has not yet been secured to continue the half time Education Coordinator position. For all of you who completed the survey I sent out, thank you!Your responses were truly vital in helping us develop a future plan. I also sincerely appreciate the heartfelt responses, compliments, testimonies and overall warmth. Your passion is inspirational and certainly helped with our decision-making! Below are the highlights of the plan you helped develop.

NEWSLETTER

  • Survey data shows an overwhelming number of you read 75% or more of each newsletter, so….
  • Beginning in August or September I will continue sending out the newsletter:) However, since I am re-entering the teaching profession after a two year break, I may only get it out once every 6-8 weeks instead of every month (I know you understand how busy teachers are!)
  • Instead of coming from my ku.edu address, they will most likely come from a monarchwatch.org email address.
  • Please continue sending pictures, stories, news updates, etc. of your gardens and your students to be featured in future newsletters. Survey results showed an overwhelming popularity of seeing “real-life” examples of students engaging with monarchs and other pollinators! It is truly beneficial for us all to see that when we engage students in these ways, we become part of something much bigger than ourselves or our individual schools! I strongly encourage you to continue sharing your pictures, stories, questions, and impacts these educational opportunities have on your students, schools and communities.
  • As my matt.tucker@ku.edu address will cease to exist after June 12, during the next two months, please send any MWN-related emails (material for future newsletters, questions, etc.) to our Communications Coordinator, Angie Babbit, at angiebabbit@ku.edu.
  • Keep reading the newsletters and providing feedback:)
WEBSITE
  • The MWN website will remain up and running. At this time, we are uncertain how often it will be updated or modified, but all of the current content will remain as is for now.
  • Contact Angie Babbit at angiebabbit@ku.edu for MWN website-related items. Jim Lovett (jlovett@ku.edu) still maintains our main Monarch Watch website, which is a separate site.
MISCELLANEOUS
  • To clarify, the Monarch Waystation Network (this network for schools and nonprofits working with students) and the Monarch Waystation Program (garden registration and signage) are separate Monarch Watch projects. This staffing change only affects the Waystation Network. Nothing related to our Waystation Program is changing.

Phenology and the “Start of Spring”

Coming Soon...Spring!?

Here it is mid-February, and my office window has been open this whole week. These unseasonably warm days do not seem "normal" to me. However, since I have not been documenting these "first signs of spring" as part of the National Phenology Network's incredible phenology tracking project, I cannot use data to back up my claim that spring is arriving early!

In actuality, I would not document and report when I first open my office window each year. However, most of us do make general observations regarding spring's arrival- when the first crocus blooms, the first monarch sighting, when we first hear bullfrogs, when apple trees or lilacs bloom, or even when allergy season starts. So, why not take a few minutes to report what you and your students observe in your garden each spring, and contribute to an extremely important scientific database? If you need more of a focus, USA-NPN has a specific campaign- Nectar Connectors- to obtain data on pollinator plants. Knowing when and where nectar sources are available for monarchs and other important pollinators across the country is vital in driving conservation-related policy.

The USA National Phenology Network serves science and society by promoting broad understanding of plant and animal phenology and its relationship with environmental change.Nature's Notebook is the USA-PNP project to connect people with nature to benefit our changing planet. Teachers, students, researchers, and volunteers collect and report standardized ground observations of phenology. To participate in this important scientific research, click on the link above. Setting up an account is super easy, as is reporting your data. There's even an app for quick reporting while in the field! And don't forget to share your experiences in our forum, the backbone of this Monarch Waystation Network!

Direct Action in a Time of Uncertainty

Direct Action in a Time of Uncertainty

With the inevitable leadership change underway in our nation, we all face uncertain times. Nonprofits, such as Monarch Watch, are accustomed to riding the waves of administration changes. Sometimes the wave can seem like a tsunami, but together we can keep working for the greater good. Together, we can ride the wave. The earth and all of the precious inhabitants depend on this unity. Specifically, the survival of many of the world's threatened species depend on the amount of work and advocacy nonprofits and compassionate individuals can accomplish.

What sets pollinators slightly apart from many other imperiled species is the fact that we as humans depend greatly on them. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, animal pollinators are directly responsible for pollinating more than 35% of the world's food crops and 75% of the world's flowering plants! It is true the plight of pollinators has begun to grab the attention of many people the past few years. However, even with a little spotlight attention, pollinator numbers continue to decline at a rapid rate. The spotlight needs to be brighter.

As the thumb of an administration that views environmental activism as a block to economic development looms closer, now is the time to turn emotions into action. We all must find ways to advocate a little louder and more intently. The pollinators need our help. The planet needs our help.

So, how can we put our thoughts and emotions into direct action?

  • Sign up to receive our newsletters
  • Ideas and resources will soon be added to our website, so please bookmark the site and keep visiting us
  • And as always, please contact me or visit the forum to share stories, pictures or examples of projects you and your students are involved with that fit this theme of turning thoughts and emotions into action that directly helps our environment. I will then share your experiences in order to inspire others!

Thank you for caring, and remember that everyone can make a difference:)