Save the monarch butterfly!
Run, Walk, Bike, Hike, or Paddle the Migration!
Support our partner, Monarch Joint Venture, by participating in ‘Miles for Monarchs’. ‘Miles for Monarchs’ is an exciting, new way to support monarch butterflies through athletic activities. We want to raise awareness about the decline of monarch butterflies and raise money for local and national pollinator habitat projects and conservation work.
As you may know by now, the Western Monarch Butterfly migration collapsed this year. Under 2,000 monarchs were counted at both Thanksgiving and New Years across 400 overwintering sites in central coast California. Put into perspective, monarch counts:
20 years ago - 2 to 4 million
5 years ago - 150,000
2019 - 30,000
2020 - under 2,000
Through the ‘Miles for Monarchs’ campaign, we aim to inform participants about the monarch butterfly and its astounding migration. Most monarchs make an annual migration to the mountains of central Mexico, where the trees are covered in roosting monarchs as they overwinter. Monarchs in the Western United States, spend winter along the California coast. Each spring, the monarchs make their way back to the United States to fill our summers with their brightness. We take time to celebrate the monarch’s amazing journey, but we also want to make sure that people know of the danger the monarchs face. Monarch numbers have declined dramatically in recent years, but we know that together we can make a difference to help the species thrive in our gardens and communities.
The money you raise through ‘Miles for Monarchs’ campaign will go toward high-impact monarch and pollinator conservation work by the Monarch Joint Venture and Pheasants Forever. They work across the country to create habitat, educate and spread the word, and conduct critical conservation research to ensure a future filled with monarchs. The series will take place through June, and September. Participants can register throughout each month - and throughout the year. You may choose to participate individually or in a group! Participants will receive the toolkit upon registration and will be brought in on communications through the rest of the event. The toolkit will help you track your miles. We welcome participants who walk 1 mile or 60 miles! Be sure to choose Goin’ Native as a referral at registration checkout. For every $80 raised, $10 will fund Goin Native’s free garden program for children, called ‘Growin’ up in the Garden’. Purchases will also land you a choice of a ‘Miles for Monarch’ t-shirt, neck gaiter, or beanie!