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Warranted but Precluded

February 3, 2021

Recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) announced that the
Endangered Species Act Listing for the monarch butterfly was “warranted, but precluded” by work on higher-priority listing actions.

First monarch of the season nectaring on Virginia Bluebell (Mertensia virginica). Photo courtesy of Donna VanBuecken

With this decision, the monarch becomes a candidate for listing, and its status will be reviewed each year until it is no longer a candidate. In the case of the monarch butterfly, the USFWS states that they plan to propose the monarch for listing in fiscal year 2024 if the listing is still warranted (as prioritized by the National Listing Workplan).

ESA and Habitat

Trump’s administration finalizes the “new” Endangered Species Act before the end.

Monarch butterfly on Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) at the WILD Center. Photo courtesy of Donna VanBuecken

On December 20, 2020, USFWS defines habitat under ESA: “Habitat is the abiotic and biotic setting that currently or periodically contains the resources and conditions necessary to support one or more life processes of a species.” This definition prohibits the federal agencies from designating areas that are not currently occupied by the species as habitat and would further ecosystem restoration improvements to become suitable habitat. It would also prohibit federal agencies from protecting areas that could become important habitat for rare species under climate change.

Another finalized rule allows USFWS to exclude areas from critical habitat designations for endangered species if the critical habitat designation would cause negative economic impacts or harm national security or outdoor recreation opportunities.

We Can We Do?

Monarch butterfly ovipositing onto the host plant milkweed. Photo by Candi Sarikonda.

“This scientific review of the population status clearly demonstrates that monarchs need our urgent support. Voluntary, proactive conservation is necessary, and this work goes beyond monarchs; by conserving monarchs, we benefit grassland habitats and countless organisms. This supports the delicate balance of biodiversity and helps mitigate the decline of many species, before they need ESA protections.” (Monarch Joint Venture)

Share knowledge to create habitat and educate the community about monarchs and pollinators. Help researchers better understand these trends. Report findings of citizen science to community science projects like Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper or Journey North. If you are able to document this behavior of monarch larva at the same site(s) on a weekly basis, we strongly encourage getting involved in the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project to keep a more detailed account of your observations.

Check out USFWS Questions and Answers: 12-month finding on a petition to list the monarch butterfly and watch for more updates on the USFWS monarch butterfly page. Find contact information for your House and Senate representatives to write them and express your opinion.

States have their Monarch Conservation Strategy

Monarch nectaring on Rough Blazingstar (Liatris aspera). Photo courtesy of Donna VanBuecken

According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), the  Natural Heritage Conservation “will continue to support the Wisconsin Monarch Collaborative to implement the twenty-year Wisconsin Monarch Conservation Strategy. That strategy seeks to enlist homeowners, farmers, utilities, and other groups in voluntarily adding native milkweed and wildflowers to their property, with a goal of adding around 120 million more native milkweed stems, along with nectar sources, to the Wisconsin landscape by 2038. Habitat loss is the primary driver for the 80 percent decline in the eastern U.S. population of monarchs that breeds in Wisconsin during the summer.” (WDNR)

Connecticut Butterfly Atlas Project

Illinois Monarch Monarch Initiative

Indiana Monarch Monarch Conservation Plan

Iowa Monarch Conservation Strategy

Kentucky Monarch Conservation Plan

Maryland Monarch Conservation

Michigan Monarch Strategy

Mid-American Monarch Conservation  Strategy
(Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin)

Minnesota The Monarch Joint Venture

Missourians for Monarchs

New Jersey Monarch Butterfly Guide

New York Pollinator Conservation Association

Environment North Carolina

North Dakota Monarch Butterfly and Native Pollinator Strategy

Ohio Pollinator Habitat Program

Pennsylvania Save the Monarch

Texas Monarch Flyway Strategy  and  Gulf-Houston Monarch Flyway

Western States Monarch Conservation Plan(California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah)

____________

The e-mail photo is by Judy Kesser.

 

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Comments

  1. Cynthia Donahey says

    February 12, 2021 at 3:39 pm

    Years ago, we were going somewhere in old stripland in the Wayne National. This was blackberry bushes, white pine and black coal tailings. The access road, a lane really was getting some plants. I walked up to a fringe of trees and saw orange milkweed and orange butterflies in a field. My husband called and said we had little time. I only caught that one glimpse. I asked someone who said it might be a scotch cemetery, they were in that area, I think we were going to another cemetery.

    Reply
    • Donna VanBuecken says

      February 14, 2021 at 1:32 pm

      That’s a nice habitat, Cindy — Donna

      Reply
  2. Cynthia Donahey says

    February 16, 2021 at 8:12 am

    Some of the mined lands out west have places like this as well

    Reply
  3. Marcia Goodrich says

    February 17, 2021 at 10:29 am

    The link Monarch in Michigan goes to an Illinois site. Do you have the correct link? I’d be interested in checking it out. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Donna VanBuecken says

      February 18, 2021 at 10:44 am

      I have corrected this, Marcia. ‘Glad you are checking — Donna

      Reply

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