Green Wednesday: Monarch Conservation and Student Climate Leadership
By Natasha Mantle, U.C. Master Gardeners of Napa County / Chris Benz, Environmental Contributor
Green Wednesday: Gardening and Ecological Insights
Every Wednesday Napa Valley Features brings you Green Wednesday, featuring articles from environmental voices and the UC Master Gardeners of Napa County. These contributors share research-based horticultural advice, insights on sustainability and climate topics relevant to our region.
Summary of Today’s Stories
In "How to Help Monarchs (Butterflies) Stay in Power," Natasha Mantle explores the biology, decline and conservation of monarch butterflies, highlighting both regional threats and actions gardeners and volunteers can take to help preserve the species.
“If we believe that monarchs are nature’s royalty worth saving, then let’s help them stay in power!” — Natasha Mantle
In "Napa College Students Win Environmental Scholarships," Chris Benz highlights two local students whose environmental leadership and community involvement earned them the Darcy Aston Scholarship, supporting their academic and conservation goals.
“I want to connect current environmental science methods with traditional ecological knowledge and incorporate Indigenous practices as part of our conservation efforts.” — Estrellita Gil
How to Help Monarchs (Butterflies) Stay in Power
By Natasha Mantle, UC Master Gardener of Napa County
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Monarchs rule! Not in the same way as King William of Orange, after whom these butterflies were named, but their regal appearance, striking color and many mysteries continue to capture people’s imagination since the first European settlers labeled them in the early 1600s.
More recently, monarchs have become a poster child for disappearing natural beauty. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing them as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Unfortunately, they did not qualify for endangered status even though they are projected to disappear in the next 20 years.
Let’s take a closer look at these amazing creatures, some factors contributing to their decline and various conservation programs that could help turn the tide.
But first, a few special things about monarchs on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains.
Each year millions of monarchs fly about 3,000 miles from Canada to their overwintering sites in central Mexico — a remarkable feat considering they are not great flyers. They don’t vigorously flap their wings but rely on thermals to gain altitude and glide. Even at that, they manage to travel up to 100 miles a day.
Sometimes unpredictable wind currents deposit monarchs in Florida rather than in Mexico, but their extraordinary navigational capabilities eventually lead them to their destination. How do they manage without Google Maps?
As it turns out, monarchs have their own compass. It is a combination of the sun’s position, determined via an internal circadian clock built into their antennae, and the ability to sense Earth’s magnetic field.
To undertake this two-month migration, monarchs breed a special “super generation.” Unlike previous generations that live only a few weeks, the super generation is stronger, larger and can live up to eight months due to a suppressed juvenile hormone that prevents monarchs from aging, as well as reproducing. (Imagine if humans could control their hormones at will instead of relying on drugs.)
When the super generation finally arrives in Mexico, it goes into a state of semi-dormancy and spends the entire winter clustering for warmth on oyamel fir trees. At the beginning of spring, the super generation flips the juvenile hormone switch to normal and starts a reverse commute back to Canada. This is a perfect illustration of the “sleepy transformation” or Danaus plexippus, monarchs’ Latin name.
This spectacle of millions of monarchs floating in the air or cloaking several acres of forest in orange is one of the most astounding natural phenomena in the world and is a bucket-list sight for nature-lovers.
On the western side of the Rockies, overwintering sites for monarchs migrating from the western United States are not as dramatic. However, there are hundreds of them, and the most significant ones are on the coast, within driving distance of Napa. Check the Xerces Society’s map of overwintering sites.
While there are no genetic differences between western and eastern monarchs, there are significant differences in their numbers and rate of decline. Eastern monarchs number in the millions, while last year’s estimate for the western monarch population was 9,000, down from 233,000 in 2023. Since 1980, the western monarch population has declined almost 95%.
Climate change, habitat loss, predators and pesticides take a toll on monarchs everywhere. But these factors appear to be exacerbated in the West. The use of neonicotinoids and glyphosate in agricultural areas can weaken monarchs’ immune system and kill them. Droughts and fires destroy overwintering and breeding grounds. Pacific Coast real estate developments encroach on milkweed, a plant crucial to monarchs’ reproduction cycle.
To improve this critical situation, the western monarchs need more habitat acres and protection of their overwintering sites—issues requiring action from government, large landowners and conservation nonprofits.
For that reason, the Land Trust of Napa County has planted 1,000 milkweed plants at Sutro Ranch in eastern Napa County. As California wineries continue to reduce their grape acreage, they have an opportunity to plant pollinator-friendly and tourist-enticing flowers such as lavender, California natives and even milkweed.
But what can we, backyard gardeners, do beyond planting a garden? As it happens, quite a bit.
Volunteer involvement is crucial to academic research and conservation programs. Many research publications use data collected by citizen scientists. To learn about volunteer opportunities, browse the websites of the Xerces Society and Monarch Joint Venture.
A few examples of such projects:
Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper records sightings of milkweed and monarchs at any stage. You can report your own observations while on a nature walk using your phone and the iNaturalist app.
Southwest Monarch Study tags monarchs for the purpose of understanding their migration and breeding patterns. This important program is the only one of its kind authorized in California as state law prohibits rearing and handling monarchs. Participants need special training.
Western Monarch Count is a seasonal count conducted on Halloween, Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Personally, I cannot think of a better way to spend at least part of these holidays, being outdoors with beautiful creatures that desperately need our help.
And finally, don’t just plant a pollinator garden. Up your game and register your garden as a Monarch Waystation or a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Then display your conservation plaque for all to see.
If we believe that monarchs are nature’s royalty worth saving, then let’s help them stay in power!
Events
Library Talk: UC Master Gardeners of Napa County with Napa Public Library will host a free talk on “Beautiful and Protective Firewise Landscaping” on Thursday, Aug. 7, from 7 to 8 p.m. via Zoom. Learn how to make your home more firewise and how to landscape with fire safety and resilience in mind without sacrificing beauty. Note that the meeting will not allow entry after 7:15 p.m. Register to receive the Zoom link.
Workshop: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a workshop on “Cool-Season Vegetables” on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the University of California Cooperative Extension, 1710 Soscol Ave., Napa. Now is the time to plan for a harvest in fall, winter and early spring. This hands-on workshop will help you understand which vegetables thrive in cool or even cold weather and why you need to start planting while the weather is warm. Register here.
Tree Walk: Join UC Master Gardeners of Napa County for a docent-led tree walk of Fuller Park in Napa on Sunday, Aug. 10, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Historic Fuller Park is an arboretum with many exotic and native trees planted over the past 120 years. Meet at the corner of Oak and Jefferson streets in Napa. Registration required.
Help Desk: The Master Gardener Help Desk is available to answer your garden questions on Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the University of California Cooperative Extension Office, 1710 Soscol Ave., Suite 4, Napa. Or send your questions to mastergardeners@countyofnapa.org. Include your name, address, phone number and a brief description of the problem. For best results attach a photo.
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Natasha Mantle is a UC Master Gardener of Napa County.
Napa College Students Win Environmental Scholarships
By Chris Benz
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — Two local students — Xiara Diaz, a freshman at UC Berkeley, and Estrellita (Star) Gil, a student at Napa Valley College — are recipients of this year’s Darcy Aston Scholarship. The annual scholarship, for which high school and college students can apply, is awarded by the Environmental Education Coalition of Napa County. This year’s scholarship fund was augmented by a generous donation from Napa Recycling.
Diaz and Gil are daughters of Mexican immigrants and the first generation of their families to attend college. Both are passionate about working to improve the environment and serving as a voice for their community.
Diaz became involved in environmental actions as a junior at Napa High School. She was a teen conservation intern with the Napa County Resource Conservation District, where she made social media graphics, worked on outreach, and helped plan and lead volunteer events in the community.
“I really enjoyed the invasive weed-removal volunteer days,” Diaz said. “I liked working outside and getting my hands dirty where I could see the progress I was making.”
Diaz’s sister recommended that she sign up for the Leaders for Ethics, Animals and the Planet program offered by Jameson Humane.
“It was honestly one of the best things I have ever done,” Diaz said. “We learned how to be advocates for animal welfare, climate issues, agriculture systems, wildlife and habitat conservation, and much more. I discovered that I am passionate about the environment's well-being.”
She was accepted into the Ecosystem Management and Forestry program at UC Berkeley, which includes a hands-on forestry camp. Along with her schoolwork, Diaz makes time to attend weekly meetings of the Cal Forestry Club.
“I’m one of a few people of color in the club,” she said. “I get to go back to my Mexican family and community and explain why forestry is important.”
Estrellita Gil will graduate from Napa Valley College with an associate of science degree in environmental science and an associate of arts degree in anthropology, then plans to transfer to a University of California campus in the fall. She decided on a double major after attending a four-week workshop focusing on the cultural practices and traditional ecological knowledge of the local Mishewal-Wappo people.
“It’s a different approach to conservation and land stewardship that could save the environment,” Gil said. “I want to connect current environmental science methods with traditional ecological knowledge and incorporate Indigenous practices as part of our conservation efforts.”
At NVC, Gil has been active in several student organizations and has attended national conferences of the Society for the Advancement of Chicano and Native Americans in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
“It was fun to hang out with my peers — first-gen STEM students who are mainly Hispanic — and hear the academic presentations,” Gil said.
At NVC, Gil has launched an Environmental Science Club and resurrected the college’s garden area. The large space has been planted with lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, arugula, potatoes, carrots and spinach. The club hopes the produce can be used by the culinary school to prepare food for the college’s Basic Needs Center, which provides free food, clothing and other supplies for students.
“Being president of the Environmental Science Club has grown my skills at public speaking, navigating bureaucracy, developing a team and asking for donations,” Gil said.
Gil has been aware of climate change and its impact on people and the environment since fifth grade.
“I used to think it was entirely up to me to fix the situation,” she said. “But now I know we need to work together as a community.”
In her scholarship application, she wrote: “I want our community leaders not only to acknowledge climate change but to truly understand … its widespread impact. Climate change is not an isolated issue; it affects every aspect of life in Napa County, just as it does globally. It impacts low-income households, field workers, small businesses and the wine industry.”
Congratulations to Xiara and Estrellita and best wishes for your academic careers!
Actions you can take: Learn more about EECNC’s Darcy Aston Scholarship here.
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Chris Benz is a retired winemaker and co-founder of Napa Climate NOW! Napa Climate NOW! is a local nonprofit citizens’ group advocating for smart climate solutions based on the latest climate science, part of 350 Bay Area. Info, napa.350bayareorg
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