Photo By Trisha Dorsey | A monarch butterfly is spotted, a good sign for the pollinator grant planting location.... read more read more
SMITHVILLE, Mo. - Pollinators such as butterflies and bees have been on the decline in recent years, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Kansas City District is actively working to increase their numbers.
Monarch butterfly populations have decreased by 90 percent due to loss of habitat and nectar sources. Milkweed, the sole food source for monarch butterfly larvae, has diminished drastically in the United States due to mowing and herbicide use, especially along roadways and agricultural land.
To benefit these pollinators, Smithville Lake applied for and received a grant from Monarch Watch. Based at the University of Kansas, the nonprofit program engages in research on monarch migration biology and population dynamics to understand their migrations and protection of habitats.
“Smithville Lake is perfectly positioned along the Interstate 35 Corridor which is the eastern migratory route for monarch butterflies to their overwintering ground in central Mexico,” said Jaime Picken, Smithville Lake park ranger. “They travel more than 2,000 miles to migrate.”
To support pollinators, the Monarch Watch grant awarded Smithville Lake nearly 350 milkweed plants. Smithville Lake staff and local volunteers planted the milkweed plugs in May.
“Through this grant we received three varieties of milkweed. We also planted a number of native wildflowers to attract additional pollinators such as honeybees and humming birds,” said Picken. “Honeybees are responsible for one-third of the food we eat. We want to provide an area of native plants for these valuable insects.”
The planting site is located directly behind the Jerry Litton Visitor Center along a gravel pedestrian trail and near a popular fishing point. Signs reading, “Monarch Waystation” make the area recognizable.
Because the site sees a lot of activity, the Corps is considering adding interpretative signs at the location and further developing the trail to lead to the lake near a prime fishing location.
While the Corps plans to conduct a prescribed burn this fall to eradicate the woody vegetation and prepare for the spring planting season, the site needs regular attention. Volunteers help by removing weeds from the area.
“Projects like this are great for people of all ages. Children can play in the dirt and gardening is proven to be therapeutic and a good stress reliever for adults,” said Picken. “Right now, weeding is our biggest need and we have great volunteers who are able to help out on a regular basis.”
Next spring when the plants are fully established, lake visitors should have a variety of resident pollinators to view in addition to providing a refueling point for monarch butterflies along their migration route. The Corps will continue to seek the assistance of volunteers such as schools, scout groups and the like to help plant more diverse native nectar sources and general garden maintenance. The Corps will provide supplies, seeds and plants.
For the long-term, Picken would like Smithville Lake to participate in pollinator studies and provide public education on monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
“Pollinator studies involve larvae counts, monarch tagging programs and milkweed locations,” said Picken. “Since Smithville Lake is located along a main migration route, a study would result in valuable data which could be used to better manage our wildlife habitats and contribute to larger scale studies.”
The Monarch Watch grant provides Smithville Lake with a great start to continue supporting pollinators and the Corps hopes both the butterflies and the visitors will appreciate their efforts.
“We hope this project will provide abundant food sources for monarch caterpillars as well as a number of nectar sources for pollinators to include migrating adult monarch butterflies,” said Picken. “At the same time, we hope the visiting public will enjoy viewing the area and learn what a valuable role pollinators play in our day to day lives.”
To learn more about Monarch Watch, visit http://www.monarchwatch.org/.
| Date Taken: | 09.22.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.22.2016 13:54 |
| Story ID: | 210287 |
| Location: | SMITHVILLE, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 166 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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