How Planting California natives helps bring back monarch butterflies, and other pollinators
By Manola Secaira - CapRadio
Vilma Aquino still remembers when monarch butterflies flocked to Mare Island. This peninsula, which is part of Vallejo in Solano County, used to be a hotspot for monarchs looking to settle down during the winter months.
“When I would drive into Mare Island, way back when, there would be hundreds of butterflies,” Aquino said. “I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.”
But much has changed since Aquino moved to the area in 2007. Monarch populations throughout California have seen a steep decline for decades. Researchers say this is likely related to habitat loss, climate change and other impacts on the state’s ecosystems. Vallejo locals note these butterflies have nearly disappeared from Chapel Park, an area on Mare Island where they once gathered in the thousands and is now the last semi-active overwintering site for monarchs in Solano County.
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Volunteers gather at a new garden site on Mare Island in Vallejo, Calif. on Feb. 18, 2023, adding California native plant species.