April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 54

Parks Saving the

Monarch
Parks are critical partners in the nationwide effort to restore
habitat and increase the population of this beloved insect
By Richard J. Dolesh

A

little over a year ago, NRPA announced the Parks for Monarchs
campaign, an initiative to encourage park and recreation agencies
across the nation to collectively show the power of parks as we
work to save the monarch butterfly, a remarkable wildlife species
whose numbers have declined more than 90 percent in the past two decades.
Not so long ago, monarchs were
taken for granted by just about everyone. In most parts of the country, you
could easily find this graceful, floating, dancing splash of orange and
black in the landscape in backyards,
farm fields or along roadsides. Wherever you found milkweed plants you
could generally find a monarch - either as an adult butterfly feeding on
the nectar of the milkweed flowers, as
an egg on the underside of its leaves,
or as a caterpillar relentlessly munching away. And, if you were lucky,
perhaps you could find a chrysalis
hanging from a twig or under a leaf,
looking like a Chinese lantern, almost
pulsing with a mysterious energy because you knew that in less than two

52	 Parks & Recreation

weeks, a fully formed adult monarch
would emerge and continue north in
an incredible multi-generation migratory flight. But, those days are almost
gone unless we do something to reverse the decline of the monarchs.
One of the most amazing things
about monarch migration is that it
continues within a season through
several generations of butterflies. The
entire population that leaves Mexico dies before reaching the furthest
distance of that season's migration.
However, before they die, they lay
eggs for the next generation, which
continues the flight northward. This
pattern continues through several
generations, the current generation
never seeing or knowing where the

| A P R I L 2 0 1 6 | W W W. PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N . O R G

next generation will travel. And at
the furthest northward and eastward
points of their migration, the final
generation of the season decides by
signals known only to them that it is
time to head south. This generation
of monarchs, in a single stupendous
flight, migrates all the way to Southern Mexico to live out the winter
in a group of mountain forests that
they have never seen or ever visited
in their lives. The migration of the
monarchs is the longest known migration of insects and it is an incredible marvel of nature.
Monarch Population Crash
Prompts International Concern
Beginning in the mid-1990s, the population numbers of this once-abundant and common butterfly began
to crash, particularly the Eastern
population. [Ed. Note: The migratory
patterns of monarchs west of the Rocky
Mountains are not as well-known as that



April 2016 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2016 - Parks & Recreation

April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 1
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 2
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 3
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 4
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 5
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 6
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 7
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 8
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 9
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 10
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 11
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 12
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 13
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 14
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 15
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 16
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 17
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 18
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 19
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 20
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 21
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 22
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 23
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 24
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 25
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 26
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 27
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 28
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 29
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 30
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 31
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 32
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 33
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 34
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 35
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 36
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 37
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 38
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 39
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 40
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 41
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 42
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 43
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 44
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 45
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 46
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 47
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 48
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 49
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 50
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 51
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 52
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 53
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 54
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 55
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 56
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 57
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 58
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 59
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 60
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 61
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 62
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 63
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 64
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 65
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 66
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 67
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 68
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 69
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 70
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 71
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 72
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 73
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 74
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 75
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 76
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 77
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 78
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 79
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 80
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 81
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 82
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 83
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 84
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 85
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 86
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 87
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 88
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 89
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 90
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 91
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 92
April 2016 - Parks & Recreation - 93
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2016
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2015
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2013
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/october-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/september-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/august-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/july-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/june-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/may-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/april-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/march-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/february-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/january-2010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/december-2009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nrpa/ParksRecreationMagazine/november-2009
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com