Monarchs Matter

07/31/2026

t’s a monarch summer~ 🦋🦋 The July cohort of 2026 Raise, Tag, and Release (RTR) Summer Program students have released their first butterflies this week at Seraphim Farm, along with weekly surveying for the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project and group reflection writing on rainy days!

For our upcoming sessions in August and September, we’re excited to be partnering with 3 sites this summer: Seraphim Farm, then transitioning to the one and only ReWild Dodge Garden as well as one more new site, Edgewood Oak Brush Plains Preserve 🌿🌻🐛

We can not thank the ReWild Long Island team enough for making our summer program possible every year, and big shoutout to our newly joined RTR Program leads—Emma, Christine, and RTR Program alumna Skylar for helping spread the monarch magic 🧡

Photo/video credit: Emma Diaz

07/31/2026

It’s a monarch summer~ 🦋🦋 The July cohort of 2026 Raise, Tag, and Release (RTR) Summer Program students have released their first butterflies this week at Seraphim Farms, along with weekly surveying for the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project and group reflection writing on rainy days!

For our upcoming sessions in August and September, we’re excited to be partnering with 3 sites this summer: Seraphim Farms, then transitioning to the one and only ReWild Dodge Garden as well as one more new site, Edgewood Oak Brush Plains Preserve 🌿🌻🐛

We can not thank the ReWild Long Island team enough for making our summer program possible every year, and big shoutout to our newly joined RTR Program leads—Emma, Christine, and RTR alumna Skylar for helping spread the monarch magic 🧡

Photo & video credit: Emma Diaz

07/18/2026

I’m honored to share the re-airing of our episode “From Soil to Science” in The Visioneers with Zay Harding this past Saturday 🦋🎥

Looking back, I wish such an amazing eco-action series like this had existed when I was younger. I’m so grateful to be part of this incredible production alongside so many brilliant visioneers!! 🌎

Tune into The Visioneers on CBS Weekend for a magical ride around the world—through the eyes of bright scientists, engineers, and innovators driving sustainable solutions 🧑‍🔬🌱⚙️🧠

06/28/2026

2025 Barron Prize winner Cynthia Zhang is proving yet again that young people can change the future during her appearance on The Visioneers with Zay Harding. In the episode “From Science to Soil,” Cynthia’s commitment reminds us that innovation and action go hand in hand! 🦋🌱

Join Zay Harding as he learns how to harvest food indoors, helps an underappreciated pollinator, and realizes the importance of copper.

06/28/2026

🌱 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (noun)
/ˈwāˌstāSHən/
a place where people can stop when traveling from one place to another

For monarch butterflies, waystations are crucial stopping points along their 3000-mile migration journey, supplying shelter and sustenance for both adult butterflies and their caterpillars to maintain a healthy annual cycle—from overwintering in Mexico’s highland forests to spring migration, summer breeding in the US, and fall migration back to Mexico.

To learn more about monarch waystations, join us to explore these recent features and educational resources:

Tom Schlichter’s Newsday article covering several perspectives on our role in uplifting the monarch population through these native gardens.
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/li-life/help-monarch-butterflies-migration-waystations-obzy9j1m

NPO Forests for Monarch’s 2-section webinar on conserving and gardening for monarchs.
https://youtu.be/zwuSERL94oc?si=V47QXQocULmEtM_l

05/23/2026

During Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re reflecting on eco-anxiety or climate anxiety — a growing mental health problem many people experience in response to the climate crisis.

In 2021, the largest global survey on eco-anxiety was conducted with 10,000 youth between the ages of 16 and 25. Findings reveal that nearly 60% of young people are ‘very’ or ‘extremely worried’ about environmental problems. Furthermore, 45% reported that these emotions disrupted daily functioning, including eating, concentrating, sleeping, going to school, and playing.

One way our students are reflecting on their stewardship and well-being is through craft-ivism, creating poetry and artwork that both advocate for environmental protection and allow time for reflection, hope, and community-building.

In transforming eco-anxiety into creativity and collective action, we are reminded that caring for the planet also means caring for one another. 🦋💞

Works cited / Learn more:
https://www.unicef.org/blog/what-is-eco-anxiety
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11577747/

04/10/2026

Join our webinar with this coming Monday (April 13) at 6pm EDT:
🦋 Gardening for Monarchs: From Backyard Milkweed to Migratory Habitat 🌿

~ Registration link in bio ~

Monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable and beloved species in North America—and one of the most vulnerable.
From breeding grounds across the United States to overwintering forests in Mexico, monarchs rely on a connected network of habitats to survive. The good news? There are meaningful ways each of us can help.

On April 13 at 6:00 PM EDT, we’re hosting a live webinar to explore how everyday actions—like planting milkweed and creating pollinator-friendly spaces—connect to the broader effort to protect monarch butterflies across their incredible migration.

This live, informal conversation will bring together perspectives from across the monarch’s range, including:
🐛 How monarchs use milkweed during their summer breeding cycle
📊 Research-backed tips for selecting milkweed and designing your garden for success
🙌 Youth-led conservation efforts and how communities are getting involved
🌳 How habitat restoration in Mexico supports the monarch population as a whole

We’re excited to be joined by:
🦋 Megan Fulton, Forests for Monarchs Executive Director, connecting this work to reforestation and habitat protection in Mexico
🦋 Michaela Rogers, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Wildlife Biologist, bringing expertise in milkweed and pollinator habitat
🦋 Cynthia Zhang, founder of Monarchs Matter, sharing youth-led conservation efforts

03/26/2026

The grand finale!!! All 4 chapters of the Monarch Manual are up on our page — now we’re all set to transition into monarch raising/tagging this spring-summer 🦋🦋

03/05/2026

🖥️🦋 Something exciting is brewing behind the scenes! Can you guess from our fluttering workspace? (Hint: “Webinar Agenda” 📁, “April 2026,” “biosphere_reserve” 🌳, “Forests for Monarchs x Monarchs Matter”, 📍🌎 pins on Michoacán, Mexico and New York, USA)

Looking forward to it !!!

02/13/2026

💚👑 Nothing beats shedding into brand new skin and being crowned in gold!

Swipe to read ~ Chapter III: Chrysalis Concoction ~ of the Monarch Manual to uncover the hidden magic behind the pupal stage of monarch butterflies — plus tips for caring for chrysalises in your monarch raising journey 🦋

Follow us to get notified when the final chapter will be posted… some tagging and community science action coming soon 📖🔍