We’re launching the largest pollinator restoration project in our region, creating and restoring more than 1,000 acres of native habitat, benefiting the monarch butterfly and other pollinator species that are threatened, protected, or in decline due to habitat loss.
As the monarch butterfly is considered for federal protection, this project holds huge potential to reverse this species’ decline. The value of pollinators to overall ecological health and food production is immeasurable.
Healthy pollinators mean healthy ecosystems and a stronger food supply for all of us.
Your support helps us:
Plant thriving spaces for monarchs and other pollinators
Protect and improve the water quality and ecology of the Ohio River
Collect 20 lbs. of milkweed seed for propagation and planting
Prepare the land for planting and seeding through a mix of burning and targeted invasive species removal
Host community workshops to engage 500+ people
Work closely with partners at parks and private landowners to scale the effort
Additional background on the project:
This is a scaleable 2 year project
ORF currently has $220,000 committed to the project
Work will begin in 2026
This will be the largest landscape-scale habitat restoration project in Southwest Ohio/Northern Kentucky/Southeast Indiana.
Current partners for this project are: Butler County Metroparks, 5 Rivers Metroparks, Great Parks of Hamilton County, Warren County Park District, Buffalo Trace (Indiana), and the Pollinator Partnership. More landowners may be added.
This will be the largest landscape-scale habitat restoration project in Southwest Ohio and Southeast Indiana.
Monarch Natural History and Conservation Facts:
It is estimated that the Eastern Monarch population has declined by >80% since the 1990s
Eastern monarchs have a 56-74% chance of extinction by 2080
Canada recognizes monarchs as endangered, and they are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. They are not recognized as endangered in the US yet.
On December 10, 2024, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced its recommendation to give the monarch butterfly protected status as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The recommendation came as a result of a 4 year process in which the USFWS monitored the butterfly’s population and determined their risk of extinction. A decision is expected in 2026.
Eastern Monarchs begin their lives north, in the Upper Midwest and Ohio River Valley, hatching from eggs laid on milkweeds in the late summer. They then migrate thousands of miles to the fir forests of central Mexico
Around 29 milkweed plants are needed to support one migrating monarch
Restoration should strive for 100-500 milkweed plants per acre
The current abundance and distribution of milkweed (for reproduction) and other nectaring plants (for feeding) limit the size of Eastern Monarch populations. The availability of this habitat has decreased substantially in the past 25 years. Land-use change has resulted in the loss and fragmentation of prairie habitat.
The use of herbicide-resistant crops has eliminated milkweed from growing in fields, particularly in the Upper Midwest, where the majority of Eastern Monarchs spend their summer months. Herbicides used to manage “weedy” areas where milkweed grows may also contribute to an overall loss of summer habitat.
Climate change and severe weather are also contributing to monarch population declines. Most of the dramatic population crashes in the last 30 years are associated with some type of extreme weather.
