There are many fans of the bosque ecosystem along the Rio Grande, among them monarch butterflies. They roost in cottonwoods during their annual migration south, and feed on native plants.
But according to the Institute for Applied Ecology, the plants that grow in the bosque have changed as land use has shifted, herbicides and pesticide use has grown and flood management measures have been put in place.
That means native plants are on the decline, including milkweed, which matters to the monarchs because they only lay eggs on these specific plants and the caterpillars only eat milkweed leaves.
The institute is working to restore 16 sites to support the butterflies and other pollinators along the river in New Mexico by planting native milkweed and nectar plant species.
As part of the "River for Monarchs" project, the institute is partnering with the City of Albuquerque's Parks and Recreation Department, the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District and Rocky Mountain Youth Corps to plant a pollinator meadow in the city's North Valley. Crews will plant 1,500 plugs with native plants grown from seeds collected in the wild.
The city is calling for volunteers to join in the effort on Saturday, September 28, and learn more about conservation efforts to boost butterfly populations. Volunteers can sign up here.
