Now an Official Monarch Waystation!

The Monarch Nature Trail is now an official “Monarch Waystation”! Waystations are designated by the MonarchWatch organization, which promotes rebuilding of the monarch butterfly population. Waystations must have available nectar sources and the type of milkweed that monarch larvae feed upon. We are growing local native narrow-leaf milkweed in several spots on the trail, which the experts say is better for the butterflies because it dies back every year, unlike the often-used tropical milkweed that hosts a microscopic protozoan that can kill the butterflies. For more on what kinds of milkweed to grow for the monarchs, see this blog post by Ron Vanderhoff of Rogers Gardens. Ron is considered the foremost local expert on native plants.