Monarch Research Project Piloting Innovative Solutions Three Moon Shots Pollinators under SIEGE Bees and butterflies in decline The monarch is the canary in the coal mine Pollinator services are essential for 1/3 of our food production and more than 180,000 plant species 1
How did we get here? Ø50% reduction of habitat in 15 years Urban sprawl Millions of acres added to farming Mowed grass instead of native species (roadside ditches, lawns, parks, etc.) Intensive use of insecticides and herbicides in conjunction with chemical-resistant crops Climate Change Other unknown issues? -Dan Fagin Pulitzer Prize-winning environmental writer What you are doing in Linn County really is extraordinary: I m not aware of anyone else rearing monarchs and creating habitat in a particular county or city at the scale you are attempting. Infact I don t think anyone is even close. What you are doing is audacious in the best sense of the word 2
Linn County Pilot Ø Simplify and organize Community of interest, County Leadership, Cam, Jim, Clark Programs to engage the public Communications, Web, local press Resources: Financial, existing environmental organizations Linn County, Iowa Ø Method to expand outside Linn County MRP s Three Moon Shots 1. Rebuild natural habitat - Public land, 1,000 Acre Project, 1,000 Mile Pilot, private land (1,000 landowners) all in Linn County [Pollinator Zones ] 2. Boost monarch population in the spring to augment natural reproduction by fall, Linn County [Monarch Zones ] 3. Make Linn County a model for America, encourage other communities to join us [Zones Across America] 3
Public Pollinator Zones 1,000 Acre Plan 2017-2021 Ø600 acres restored end of 2018 ØNative plants in parks, trails & unproductive land City of Cedar Rapids City of Marion Linn County Conservation ØFunded by MRP, donations and grants. Seminole Valley Park, 2 nd year 4
Public Pollinator Zones 1,000 Mile Pilot starts in 2019 Ø1,000 miles of ditch in five years ØRural Linn County roads ØISU advising and surveying ØLinn County maintains habitat ØMonsanto donated herbicide ØPlanting and funding by MRP Public Pollinator Zones 1,000 Mile Pilot ØMini-prairie strips, 20 ft long by 8 ft wide, every 50 feet ØDitch prep: Mow once, spray twice ØAir-seed in November 5
Viable Micro Prairie Locations 2019 (174 miles) 2020 (115 miles) 2021 (203 miles) 2022 (192 miles) 1,000 Mile Pilot Project 4 Year Plan Linn County, Iowa ISU research findings: Linn County needs 1.5M milkweed stems*.5m Stems + 1.5M Stems =2.0M Stems Ø1,000 Acre Plan MRP/CR/Marion/County public-private partnership Ø1,000 Mile Pilot MRP/Linn County Secondary Roads public-private partnership 2,200 miles of ditch available, 1,000 miles used in the pilot Mini-prairie (MP)** ~ 75 per mile = 75,000 MPs 20 stems/mp x 75,000 MPs = 1.5M stems Ø Conclusion: 2 public programs exceed ISU estimate! * ISU Research, Dr. John M. Pleasants, Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Department, 1.5M stems provides enough habitat for a sustainable monarch population ** Mini-prairies - milkweed, multi-season flowers, short grasses, in 160-sq-ft patches 6
Private Pollinator Zones (PZ) Ø Register 1,000 private landowners as PZ Ø Educational forums, once or twice a year Indian Creek Nature Center Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Linn County Conservation Monarch Research Project Pheasants Forever / Natural Resource Conservation Service Trees Forever Ø Seed pantry & free seed giveaways Create a county-wide movement MRP s Three Moon Shots 1. Rebuild natural habitat - Public land, 1,000 Acre Project, 1,000 Mile Pilot, private land (1,000 landowners) all in Linn County [Pollinator Zones ] 2. Boost monarch population in the spring to augment natural reproduction by fall, Linn County [Monarch Zones ] 3. Make Linn County a model for America, encourage other communities to join us [Zones Across America] 7
American Bison Saved by protected rearing Ø 40 million bison reduced to 541 in 1800s. Over hunting Cattle herds carried bovine diseases Ø A small breeding herd transported to the Bronx, herd grows to 200. Used to restart herds in Kansas and Montana. Ø Teddy Roosevelt, founder of National Bison Society. Ø Today, 1 million bison in national parks and 15,000 in the wild. A spectacular success! The President Who Saved the American Bison, Scientific American, October 2016 The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America, Professor Douglas Brinkley BioTent engineered by MRP Rearing in the wild ØBioTent fences out predators ØNaturally occurring or planted patch of milkweed ØCaptured female butterflies or caterpillars from the wild released in BioTent ØSurvival rates grow from 1-5% to 40-70% Monarch Zones BioTent TM 8
Monarch Zones Rearing Pilot 1. Complete application 2. Purchase BioTent 3. Plant milkweed patches if unavailable in the wild 4. Attend 2-hour beginner class in the spring Monarch Zones BioTent Monarch Zones 2018 One and done, on each plot Ø130 Linn County Monarch Zones ØProduce 40K-50K eggs at Monarch Research Station for Monarch Zones ØRear & release in milkweed habitat May June-July June-July July-Aug Sept Sept-Oct MZ: Plugs planted MRS: Lab egg laying MZ: Release (Qty: X) Nature: Wild monarchs [Qty: 5X] Nature: Wild monarchs [Qty: 25X] Iowa wild monarchs to Mexico 9
Monarch Zones One and done, on each plot 25X ØNature produces exponential growth from Spring rearing, in time for Fall migration 5X X Reared 2 nd Gen 3 rd Gen Monarch Research Project is Unique Ø Holistic, Habitat and rearing~ Pilot the best ideas, cull the losers Ø Define a working geography ~ Small enough to significantly restore habitat, large enough to demonstrate the effect on pollinator populations Linn County pilot area is 725 square miles Design solutions that engage the public and catalyze local governments to redirect activities ~ All must be part of the solution! Bring together all organizations that are working hard to restore native habitat with all Linn County landowners(landowner s Forum) Ø Partner with Iowa State University, a highly regarded research institution Create a replicable model Create a public movement Zones Across America 10
Monarch Research Project Piloting Innovative Solutions Three Moon Shots MRP s Three Moon Shots 1. Rebuild natural habitat - Public land, 1,000 Acre Project, 1,000 Mile Pilot, private land (1,000 landowners) all in Linn County [Pollinator Zones ] 2. Boost monarch population in the spring to augment natural reproduction by fall, Linn County [Monarch Zones ] 3. Make Linn County a model for America, encourage other communities to join us [Zones Across America] 11
Pollinator Zones 1,000 Acre Plan 2017-2021 12