Forests for Monarchs

10/12/2026

The monarchs are returning.

Each fall, monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles to the forests of central Mexico, arriving around the same time communities prepare to celebrate Día de los Mu***os.

In Michoacán, these two extraordinary traditions are deeply connected through themes of migration, remembrance, rebirth, and resilience.

Our latest blog explores the connection between monarchs and Día de los Mu***os, ways to celebrate, and a little more monarch magic. 🧡

Explore Día de los Mu***os and the magical connection between monarch butterflies, migration, remembrance, resilience, and the forests of Michoacán.

10/09/2026

🌱 Healthy forests start with healthy soil.

At our nursery in Michoacán, we make our own soil mixture - carefully preparing the foundation our trees need before they ever leave the nursery.

From seed collection and propagation to soil preparation, planting, and monitoring, every step of our process is designed to give our trees the strongest possible start. Today, our restoration projects see an overall survival rate of approximately 70%.

And there is so much more that goes into growing a forest than planting a tree. 🌳

Want to learn more about how we grow our trees, restore forests, support local communities, and protect critical monarch habitat?

Sign up for the Forests for Monarchs newsletter for more in-depth stories from the field. 🦋

https://www.forestsformonarchs.org/how-to-get-involved/

10/06/2026

🌱 20,000 trees. 59 volunteers. One community investing in a more resilient landscape.

This summer, the Ejido Zinciro Erongarícuaro received 20,000 native trees from Forests for Monarchs, and 59 community volunteers helped plant them.

Located near Lake Pátzcuaro and not far from our tree nursery, this region is an important agricultural area, rich in produce that reaches markets around the world. But productive farming communities need healthy forests, too.

Trees help protect soil, support water systems, reduce erosion, and build greater resilience into landscapes where agriculture and forests exist side by side.

We are honored to partner with the community of Zinciro Erongarícuaro and the volunteers who gave their time to help restore this landscape - one tree at a time. 🌳

10/02/2026

🦋 MONARCH UPDATE: A longer wait for federal protection

The timeline for a final decision on federal protections for the monarch butterfly has been pushed further into the future, now expected in 2030.

In December 2024, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service formally proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A final decision had previously been expected by the end of 2025. Today, the monarch remains without federal protection under the ESA.

But the science behind the concern has not changed.

🦋 The eastern migratory monarch population has declined by approximately 80% since the mid-1990s.

🦋 The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimates that the eastern population faces a 56–74% probability of extinction by 2080 if current conditions continue.

🦋 The eastern migratory monarch is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.

Habitat loss and degradation across the monarch's breeding, migration, and overwintering range, pesticide exposure, drought, extreme weather, and a changing climate continue to put pressure on this extraordinary migration.

Even after two consecutive years of population growth, the monarch still needs us. These recent gains are encouraging, but they do not erase decades of decline or the challenges that remain across the monarch's migratory range.

Federal protections may be delayed, but conservation cannot be.

Every forest restored, every hectare protected, and every tree established in the monarch's overwintering landscape helps strengthen the habitat this migration depends on.

At Forests for Monarchs, that work continues. 🌲🦋

09/15/2026

That's a wrap! 1,064,777 trees packed, transported, and planted!

We couldn't do this work without our amazing tree nursery crew, our community partners, volunteers, and landowners throughout Michoacán.

This work also wouldn't be possible without our amazing community of donors and supporters! We are truly grateful for you all! 🫶

For more on our work, visit: www.forestsformonarchs.org

08/03/2026

🦋 We're honored to share that Forests for Monarchs has been featured in The Atlantic!

The article explores the remarkable story of the monarch butterfly's migration, this year's encouraging population growth, and the conservation efforts helping protect this incredible species. We're proud that our work restoring forest habitat in central Mexico is part of this important conversation.

A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff, volunteers, community partners, supporters, and everyone who has helped make this work possible. Together, we're helping create healthier forests and a brighter future for monarch butterflies.

Thank you to The Atlantic for highlighting the importance of long-term habitat restoration.

After years of decline, butterfly populations are rising—for now.

07/21/2026

We are just one donor away from reaching 50 donors!

Can we get one more donor by the end of the day to help us meet our goal. Every donation helps us earn matching funds through and their global matching campaign! 🌲💚🌱

You can also help by sharing this post and spreading the word. We are so grateful for this community! 🫶🏻🌎

Donate here: https://maearth.com/forests-for-monarchs/76364d09

07/20/2026

🌲 Just 2 days left!

Thanks to our amazing community, we've raised $4,084 from 43 generous donors for forest restoration in central Mexico! 💚

There's still time to help us grow our impact.

This campaign is unique because every new individual donor helps increase our matching potential. That means a small gift-or even sharing our campaign with a friend-can make a big difference.

Together, we're restoring forests, protecting monarch butterfly habitat, and supporting the communities caring for these landscapes for generations to come.

🌱 Donate or share today: https://maearth.com/forests-for-monarchs/76364d09

Thank you for being part of this journey! 🦋

07/16/2026

🌲 5 DAYS LEFT!

Help us unlock up to $15,000 in matching funds for forest restoration in Mexico.

This campaign is all about community. The more individual donors who join us, the more matching funds we can unlock. That means 10 people giving $10 can have a much bigger impact than one person giving $100.

As wildfires continue to affect forests and communities across North America, the importance of protecting and restoring healthy forests has never been clearer.

Your support helps restore one of the world's most important forest ecosystems—providing habitat for monarch butterflies, improving watershed health, and creating sustainable opportunities for local communities.

🌱 Every donor counts.
🦋 Every gift makes a difference.

Help us finish strong!

Forests for Monarchs: Restoring Forests Along a Migration Route Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles across North America to the mountains of central Mexico. Guided by...

07/07/2026

🌱 One week in, and we're already seeing the power of community.

Thanks to 25 incredible supporters, we've raised $2,032 through our Ma Earth campaign and are currently on track to receive an estimated $6,900–$8,500 in matching funds for forest restoration in central Mexico.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated or shared our campaign. Your support is already making a difference.

What makes this campaign so special is that every new donor helps unlock additional matching funds. It's not just about the amount raised; it's about people coming together to support a shared mission.

If you've been thinking about making a gift, there's still time to help! And if you've already donated, sharing this post is another wonderful way to help.

Together, we're restoring forests, supporting communities, and protecting monarch butterfly habitat. 🦋🌲

💚 Donate here: https://maearth.com/forests-for-monarchs/76364d09