Some Words on Protecting Our Butterfly
In December of 2024, the US Fish and Wildlife Service finally decided to propose that the Monarch Butterfly be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. It took 10 years, but we finally reached something of a conclusion after kicking the can down the road for so long.
I personally am satisfied with the decision that the USFWS made. As of right now, Monarchs still need a lot of support and this proposal allows for that given the status of “threatened” over “endangered.”
However, since the Trump Administration has come to power and is gutting departments through “DOGE,” 400+ USFWS employees have been fired. At the time of writing this, I have no idea if these department cuts have impacted those federal employees who were working on this proposal for the final rule due December of this year. Before these terminations had become official, we knew this administration would work to gut independent federal agencies, but the reality doesn’t make it any easier.
I have already seen posts from fired park rangers and FWS employees sharing what their firing will mean to the environment. I recall a post where young woman shared that her job was to protect a specific species, and her cut meant that this endangered creature will no longer be monitored as it was. She did not share what species she was protecting while employed, out of fear of retaliation of this administration.
If I learn more about how these firings will affect the process with finalizing the Monarch ESA proposal into law, but as of right now the proposal’s public comment period is still open, and there are other ways you can help Monarchs and other pollinators without the federal government. What are these action items?
Participate in the Public Comment Period that Closes March 12
When Endangered Species Protections are proposed for a given species, there is always a 90-day public comment period that follows the proposal being officially published. Public comment period feedback is used by the service when making a final, formal decision based on that initial proposal. The USFWS has until December of 2025 to create a final rule or decline to give the butterfly federal protections. If a lot of US Citizens leave a comment in support of this proposal, this will give the service a stronger reason to give Monarchs federal protections.
To leave a comment, go to regulations.gov and search under the docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137. You will leave a comment on the document itself.
A comment can be as simple as: I fully support implementing the strongest possible protections for the conservation of the Monarch Butterfly, as well as the designation of its critical habitat.
Here is what I wrote:
I participate in community science programs with Monarch conservation organizations and wholeheartedly support the proposal to list the Monarch Butterfly as Threatened under the Endangered Species act as well as the critical habitat. Overall, I find the proposal to be incredibly fair and reasonable, and I am thrilled it calls for so much public support.
However, I do have concerns about how milkweed is labeled at nurseries and garden centers. Planting untreated, native milkweed is imperative to the Monarchs’ survival. Many garden centers will provide milkweed that has been sprayed with pesticides or sell a variety that is not native like Tropical Milkweed. I know that the USFWS cannot control non-native imports to these garden centers, but encouraging proper labeling and pesticide-free native plant sections under the final rule as a suggestion at minimum could help when consumers do not know any better and want to do the right thing.
I understand that the Service must partner with the EPA for pesticide regulations. I would like to see strong regulations of pesticides.
Lastly, the take or sell of 250 monarchs is extremely generous. I would like to see recommendations for how to ethically raise 250+ monarchs, perhaps reach out to a conservation organization or butterfly farm for proper hygiene and sanitation standards that the service can put out as guidance.
As far as the sale goes, I only support sales for educational or scientific purposes where the Monarchs will not be released into the wild, especially where butterflies are sold for releases at wedding or funerals or farmed for jewelry.
Sign-on to The Xerces Society Letter
Instead of, or in addition to leaving your own public comment, you can sign on to a letter with The Xerces Society, where they will add your name as a co-signer and then submit the letter as a public comment to the Service by the deadline. This process only takes a couple minutes. I signed the letter along with submitting my own comment.
Plant Milkweed and Native Plants
Planting native habitat of milkweed and flowering nectar plants is the number one way to help the Monarch as habitat loss is the main reason for their decline ahead of pesticides and climate change. Monarch Watch projects that 1.3 Billion Stems of milkweed is needed to help the monarch population return to a self-sustaining level.
If you are wondering what milkweed is native to your area, you can use the Native Plant Finder from the National Wildlife Foundation. Most native nurseries like Prairie Moon Nursery will provide information on if milkweed is native to your region. If you are purchasing in-person from a garden center, please make sure the milkweed you are purchasing is native and not treated with pesticides or the caterpillars that eat the affected plants will die.
Participate in Citizen Science Projects
There are programs you can participate in as a community member to help support the monarchs. Below are just a few examples. Explore them and see if any of them are something you would like to do:
Support Monarch Conservation Organizations
Conservation orgs such as the ones below are in the fight to protect monarchs and other invertebrates regardless of what the government decides to do or not. Remember, Monarchs have no protections as I write this and these orgs have always done the work. They will continue to do so, and we can choose to donate our dollars to help expand their hard work or support them through volunteering or participating in other programs.
Look, I’m just going to be real for a second. There is a very good chance that the ESA protections may not go through, especially as we see these actions made by the Trump Administration. Now, since the USFWS is a bureau of the Department of the Interior, it is the Secretary’s final say on if a species gets protections or not. Doug Burghum is a fossil fuel guy, but does he have a reason to decline protections for Monarchs? I don’t know, would it affect the “drill, baby, drill” philosophy of this Administration? I personally think that if the proposal fails to become law, it will be because the agency is understaffed and let the project fall through the cracks.
There is a lot of fear and uncertainty right now, and I’m there with all of you. No matter what happens, I will never stop fighting for the Monarchs and this beautiful planet. After all, it is our home too.