In Spring 2018, the congregation of Red River Unitarian Universalist Church voted to create habitat on the church grounds for Monarch butterflies and other pollinators. They selected a Monarch Waystation as their specific project—a program of the nonprofit Monarch Watch. Monarch Waystations provide the resources Monarchs need to reproduce across multiple generations and sustain their long migration.
A site plan was developed by the Building and Grounds team leader and the Monarch Waystation project leader, incorporating existing flower beds around the church and near the Memorial Garden. Forty native Texas prairie plants were chosen—including three varieties of milkweed, the Monarch’s essential host plant. These plants were purchased or donated from members’ gardens and installed in the designated areas. The selected nectar plants bloom from early spring through summer to support the Monarchs’ northward, multi-generation journey, while fall-blooming species fuel the remarkable 2,000-plus-mile migration of the “super generation” that travels to the remaining Oyamel fir forests of Mexico to overwinter. This central flyway passes through southern Oklahoma and North Central Texas in mid-October, when abundant fall nectar is critical to the Monarchs’ survival.
The church’s Monarch Waystation surpasses Monarch Watch’s minimum standards and is officially certified and registered. An all-weather sign, currently displayed in the church foyer, recognizes this achievement and reflects the congregation’s commitment to supporting this near-endangered species and encouraging ecological gardening practices.
The creation of habitat for the Monarch butterfly and other pollinators on the church grounds was voted as a congregational goal of Red River Unitarian Universalist Church at the Spring 2018 Congregational Meeting. The specific project, known as a Monarch Waystation, a program of the nonprofit cooperative Monarch Watch, was chosen. Monarch Waystations are places that provide resources necessary for Monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. A site plan was drawn up for the church, by the Building and Grounds team leader and the leader of the Monarch Waystation project, which utilized planting space in existing flower beds around the building and near the church’s Memorial Garden. Forty native Texas prairie plants, including 3 varieties of milkweed, which serves as a host plant to the species, were selected, purchased or procured by donation from members’ own garden, and planted. Some of the nectar plants selected have varying bloom times from early spring to summer in order to support the Monarch’s annual journey north over several generations. The fall blooming nectar plants selected support the amazing 2000+ mile migration of a “super” Monarch generation that flies south to the few remaining Oyamel fir forests of Mex- ico where it overwinters in its adult form. This migration is on the continent’s central flyway which passes through southern Oklahoma and North Central Texas in mid October. Fall nectar sources must be abundant to meet the Monarch’s energy requirements for this amazing feat.
Our Monarch Waystation exceeds the minimum requirements of Monarch Watch to be an official certified, registered Monarch Waystation. We have received this recognition. We have an all-weather sign which is currently displayed in the foyer of the church to show our commitment to helping this near endangered species and to promoting gardening practices that support the fauna of the ecosystem of which we are a part.
If you want to know more about Monarchs and Monarch Waystations, go to Monarch Watch.
