Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Wauwatosa event celebrates and spreads awareness for the endangered monarch butterfly
Quinn Clark, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
August 28, 2023·2 min read
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Every year, monarch butterflies embark on a monthslong journey to central Mexico from as far away as Canada, but the journey's become increasingly difficult for the pollinators that are now classified as an endangered species.
Habitat loss and the increased use of pesticides have wiped out milkweed, a plant that's vital to monarchs' survival, prompting conservation efforts across the country. In Milwaukee County, a group named the Friends of the Monarch Trail have worked to create safe havens for the migrating butterflies.
First established as a nonprofit in 2008, the group preserves the one-
The Friends of the Monarch Trail held its annual Monarch Butterfly Migration Celebration on Aug. 26, a free event that invites the public to cheer on the monarchs as they start their migration.
Mount Mary University art therapy students painted children's faces to match the butterflies, and local band Ceol Cairde played traditional Irish music as attendees enjoyed a tour of the trail and learned about the monarch's life cycle.
The nonprofit's president, Barb Agnew, also known in the community as "Butterfly Barb," showed guests newly installed educational signs meant to guide visitors down the monarch trail and help them connect with their surroundings.
Now, the group's most recent newsletter said it's restoring wetlands near the trail by planting native wetland plants to create additional space for migrating monarchs, with the help of a grant from the Fund for Lake Michigan.
Quinn Clark can be emailed at QClark@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Quinn_A_Clark.
