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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 9, 2018)
4 Wednesday, May 9, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Understanding the plight of the western monarch butterfly By Jim Anderson Correspondent With all the traffic rolling into the Sisters Middle School parking area last Saturday, one would have thought school was in session. What was really going on was a meeting of butterfly people on the wel- fare of the monarch butterfly and other pollinators. More than 100 people attended, some from as far away as Seattle, Boise, and Northern California. The idea of a monarch butterfly conference was the brainchild of local author Jean Nave and Sisters Middle School teacher Susie Werts, who worked with students on producing the book “Journey’s Flight,” which chronicled the travels of a monarch butter- fly raised by the students and released with an identifying tag in September of 2016. The butterfly made an epic record-setting trip all the way to Southern California. At Saturday’s confer- ence, monarch groups from all over the Northwest pre- sented their recovery projects and results. Area government agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Monarch Advocates of Central Oregon (MACO) have been active in planting hundreds of milk- weed seedlings and creat- ing monarch waystations, which include both host and nectar plants for the at-risk butterflies. Many local volunteer groups have participated in these planting events, includ- ing Friends and Neighbors of Deschutes Canyon (FANS); Great Old Broads for Wilderness; Soul River, Inc. and agency personnel. The three-hour discussion explored results of conserva- tion efforts to date and allowed for brainstorming ideas for THE LOCALS’ CHOICE Call Jeff Today! The Hair Cache — Your Barber Shop — Jeff, Theresa, Ann, Jamie, Shiela, Terri, Shanntyl, Brittany 152 E. Main Ave. / 549-8771 future monitoring, mainte- nance, reporting, rearing, tag- ging and education programs. Keynote speaker Dr. David James, an entomology profes- sor from Washington State University, presented his work. Dr. James began a mon- arch rearing and tagging proj- ect at Walla Walla Penitentiary that has been popular with the inmates as well as providing valuable information on mon- arch movements. He also leads a citizen-scientist-operated tagging program for both wild and hand-reared monarchs. Professor James introduced statistics that revealed why the USF&WS has been entertain- ing the idea of placing the butterfly on the Endangered Species List. He doesn’t think this would happen, in spite of current data demonstrating the dangerous drop in numbers of monarchs wintering in Mexico and on the preserves along the west coast of Southern California. One graph showed nearly a billion monarchs in the U.S. in 1997; by 2016 the numbers had dropped to only 33 million. He stated that the drop in the butterfly’s food plant, milkweed, and food for nectar- ing during migration were the major reasons for the dramatic decline in monarch popula- tions. In addition to food short- age, severe storms impacting survival of larva, lack of shade and roost trees, and GMO food crops and the use of pes- ticides in both commercial agricultural and private plant production areas, have all had a significant negative effect on monarch survival, as well as the use of deadly neoniciten- oid insecticides. The tagging operation is well underway with both wild and artificially raised mon- archs, and has already revealed some strange paths that some monarchs have taken. One wayward monarch made a one-way 439-mile trip from the California coast to interior Idaho, which was completely out of the norm. The big message Dr. James left with everyone at the con- ference is that the principle way we can help monarch recovery projects is to grow locally sourced milkweed. Free seed packets were avail- able for conference attendees to take home. Werts wrapped up the conference with a recap of her project and how using a threatened insect and hands- on purposeful gardening enhanced the reading and writ- ing skills of her students PHOTO BY SUE ANDERSON Rhiannon & Annabella James checking out a bigger-than-life-size Monarch caterpillar. 30 Years Experience Chamber Member FREE GIANT Cutting-edge technology to get your carpet its cleanest! Baby & Pet Safe • Red Stain Removal • Chemical-free Cleaning >>>> TWICE A YEAR MAINTENANCE PLANS <<<< < F F O 5 2 F O R $ 458-292-6842 Call or text Sisters Owned & Operated and brought the Sisters com- munity together for a remark- able endeavor. In the spirit of the mon- arch-related projects the City of Sisters recently approved a new pollinator park, not far from the post office. It will occupy a key role in provid- ing host and nectar plants for pollinators, especially the monarch. The half-acre parcel will have educational mate- rial to inform visitors and residents of the importance of these often-neglected insects to healthy ecosystems. Forms to submit a name for the park are available at City Hall and Sisters Middle School. 5 of $8 inimum D M A T H I S N O I FREE F REE ESTIMATES T M E N aquahottub.com MOUNTAIN BIKE from Blazin Saddles 10% of proceeds donated to Sisters Christian Academy WITH PURCHASE OF ANY 541-790-9679 413 W. Hood Ave. Hurry, offer Ends May 31, 2018! NEW HOT TUB!
