The Kalamazoo Area Monarch Conservation efforts are widespread, and include habitat restoration, citizen science monitoring and educational outreach events throughout Southwest Michigan. This local effort serves as an example of similar activities that could be replicated in other locations with volunteer support. The Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones and Monarch Watch Conservation Specialists provide presentations about monarchs to adult groups and classrooms, distribute educational materials and local seeds at events with a “Monarch Booth,” sell and exchange native plants, march in a local parade and distribute monarch larvae for educational purposes to classrooms and nature visitor centers.

Volunteers collect milkweed seeds in the local area and use the seeds in seed packets for local milkweed restoration projects. The group puts on citizen science trainings about the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project and is involved in creating and monitoring sites and Monarch Waystations. This is done through recruiting volunteers, teaching planting and maintenance and holding consulting sessions. Local Wild Ones chapters and Monarch Conservation Specialists are valuable resources for such local initiatives (Gebhard 2016).

• Isle Gebhard. 2016. Monarch Watch, Conservation Specialist. Personal communication.

Keywords: citizen science, milkweed, training