
What would Fred and Norah Urquhart say?
On Thursday July 21, 2022 the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added the Monarch Butterfly to the Endangered Species list. This is a tragedy that could and should be stopped.
The Urquhart Butterfly Garden – the first Municipal Butterfly Garden in Canada – pays tribute to the lifelong research of Butterflies and their migration by Fred and Norah Urquhart.
Over 38 years of tagging Monarch Butterflies, starting in 1937 with Fred, culminated with the 1975 discovery of millions of Monarch butterflies in the Neovolcanic Plateau, Mexico. This is where eastern butterflies over winter. Just imagine these beautiful delicate creatures undertaking such an arduous journey!
What would the Urquharts say now?
I think the Urquharts would say “let’s get to work! We must save the Monarch from extinction “
What can you do? Let’s get to work!
* Plant milkweed, and native plants such as asters, goldenrod and coneflowers. Monarchs depend on the nectar for energy.
* Lobby your councillors to ensure road allowances are full of native plants including milkweed.
* Never use herbicides or pesticides.
* Encourage and support community native pollinator gardens.
* Stay informed.