The Madison County Conservation Board is proud to partner with the Blank Park Zoo’s Plant.Grow.Fly. program to bring awareness of the decreasing number of native pollinators around the state. There are over 30 partners, nearly 500 registered pollinator gardens and so many engaged citizens involved with this initiative.
Sunday, September 20th from noon to 4:00 PM, there will be a celebration of the monarch’s journey from Canada, through Iowa, to Mexico (one of Earth’s great migrations).
“Each fall, the iconic monarch butterfly sets its sights on the mountains of Mexico. They travel, en masses, through our state on a journey that can be over 2,000 miles long. We are honored to partner with the Latino Heritage Festival, to highlight the importance of this butterfly to our two countries,” said Jessie Lowry, conservation manager, Blank Park Zoo.
Activities will include a Bug Parade with prized for best costumes, an insect hunt, monarch tagging, crafts, tours of the butterfly garden, shows by Carol Taylor’s Patchwork Puppets, and seeds to plant in your own garden.
Please see the attached flyer for a list of partners and more details about the event.
Pollinators are so important to Iowa. MCCB has planted several pollinator gardens around the county and will continue to do work for monarchs and native pollinators.
monarch fest press release 2015