[Communications] Support for the monarch butterfly soars at the MWRD

Thu Feb 20 13:19:58 CST 2020

Support for the monarch butterfly soars at the MWRD

Native planting and green space availability have long been priorities for the Metropolitan
Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) as it manages stormwater, and
now too is the plight of the monarch butterfly.
The MWRD Board of Commissioners passed a resolution on Feb. 6 supporting the Illinois
Monarch Project. The resolution was presented to Sustainable Landscapes Program 
Manager Iris Caldwell and Program Assistant Klaudia Kuklinska of the University 
of Illinois at Chicago's (UIC's) Energy Resources Center, who are helping coordinate
the efforts of the Illinois Monarch Project. The collaborative movement unites agencies,
organizations and individuals committed to helping monarch butterflies thrive throughout
Illinois. The Illinois Monarch Project encourages these stakeholders to address 
conservation and engage public and private landowners across diverse urban and rural
landscapes to protect the butterflies.
"We are honored to be recognized by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.
 It is wonderful to see MWRD's leadership and support of this important effort to
benefit the monarch butterfly and other pollinators. We look forward to continuing
our work together," said Caldwell. "The Energy Resources Center at the University
of Illinois-Chicago has been at the center of working with diverse stakeholders 
across the state over the last three years. This builds upon other work we do regionally
and nationally to promote pollinator habitat on rights-of-way as well as other sustainability
practices, including facility energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
The university is proud to be a partner with MWRD on a number of these initiatives."
New studies suggest that the monarch butterfly population has rapidly declined due
to climate change and the loss of milkweed resulting from development, poor land
 management practices, illegal logging and heavy reliance on pesticides and herbicides
in the United States and Canada. While the butterflies have declined, so too has
 milkweed, the sole source of food for monarch caterpillars. According to the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources, five of the 23 milkweed species that are native
 to Illinois are also listed as endangered.
To support the Illinois Monarch Project, the MWRD plans to plant milkweed as part
of its native prairie landscaping and distribute free milkweed seed packets at community
outreach events this year.

The MWRD Board of Commissioners presented a resolution to Iris Caldwell and Klaudia
Kuklinska from the Chicago Energy Resources Center's Sustainable Landscapes program
at the University of Illinois. The program coordinates the Illinois Monarch Project,
which strives to establish a thriving local population of monarch butterflies.
"The MWRD is a perfect fit to support the Illinois Monarch Project in our work combating
flooding, encouraging native planting and opposing pesticides and herbicides that
negatively impact our water resources and our butterflies," said MWRD Commissioner
Kimberly Du Buclet. "We have the land, the resilience, the expertise and experience
to help the monarch butterfly and milkweed rebound across our region."

Cook County is part of the monarch butterfly's annual migration route from Mexico
to Canada, providing a stopover or visit to native milkweed species. In 1975, Illinois
designated the iconic monarch butterfly as the official state insect after the idea
was suggested by third graders from Decatur. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS), monarch butterflies also serve as pollinators supporting natural
ecosystems as well as for human food production, and pheasant, quail, waterfowl 
and many other species.
"We look forward to partnering with other local organizations, and we thank the 
Illinois Monarch Project for their leadership on this campaign," said Commissioner
Frank Avila.

The USFWS says there are ways the public can help by gardening organically and planting
milkweed and nectar plants that are native to the area.

The goal of the Illinois Monarch Project is to add 150 million new stems of milkweed
embedded in diverse nectar producing plants by 2038. To accomplish this goal, the
Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies said participation from agriculture,
education, natural lands, rights-of-way, and urban stakeholders will be necessary.

UIC officials are planning to roll out the Illinois Monarch Action Plan this spring
while collaborating with the utility, transportation and agriculture sectors as 
well as urban, suburban, and rural landscapes to plant 150 million milkweed stems
and create additional habitat for the monarch butterfly and other pollinators.
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