Reforest Overwintering Habitat
Each fall, millions of eastern monarch butterflies from Canada and the US embark on a 3000-mile journey to overwintering forests in Mexico for up to 9 months. However, due to deforestation, overwintering habitat is dwindling—and with it, the monarch population. Learn how you can get involved in reforestation efforts and play a role in creating a sustainable future for monarch butterflies.
Note the orange color of the monarchs and the deforestation that has occurred up to the colony edge.
Photo and caption by Lincoln Brower, http://monarchnet.uga.edu/
Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The Importance of Monarch Overwintering Habitat
Each fall, millions of eastern monarch butterflies from Canada and the US embark on a 3000-mile journey to find refuge for the winter. The destination? Native pine and oyamel fir forests in the highlands of Michoacán, Mexico. For western monarch butterflies, the journey is shorter—travelling 300 to 1000 miles to the eucalyptus, cypress, and pine trees along shores of California—but nonetheless an impressive feat with migration distances up to 100 miles per day. These thick canopy trees offer protection from harsh winter temperatures and weather, creating an ideal microclimate that allows monarchs to survive for up to nine months before migrating north in the spring.
However, due to deforestation, overwintering habitat is dwindling—and with it, the monarch butterfly population. According to Forests For Monarchs, the overwintering forests Mexico once spanned over 50 acres and supported more than 1 billion butterflies. During the 2023-24 winter season, the overwintering area occupied by monarch butterflies has declined to just 2 acres.
In response, Monarchs Matter is working with local communities and other nonprofit organizations, such as Forests for Monarchs, to raise awareness of the impacts of deforestation and to bring back the overwintering habitat. Reforestation is crucial to sustaining overwintering monarch populations and ensuring a sustainable future for them.
Our Reforestation Project with Forests for Monarchs
Collaborating with Forests For Monarchs, Monarchs Matter has planted 16,000 native trees in Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR), a legally protected UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the oyamel fir forests where monarchs overwinter. We aim to expand our efforts by planting an additional 5,000 oyamel fir trees in early 2025, offsetting 500+ tons of carbon dioxide annually.
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We're also excited to partner with Forests For Monarchs to launch a podcast series in 2025, spotlighting the impact of citizen science on monarch butterfly conservation. The series will share expert insights, youth advocacy, and practical ways individuals can get started in monarch monitoring projects.
Source: Forests for Monarchs
Source: Forests for Monarchs
Get Involved
Support the restoration of monarch butterfly overwintering habitats by donating to Forests For Monarchs. Their commitment of planting two trees for every dollar donated ensures that your contribution directly funds reforestation of oyamel fir, pseudostrobus pine, Mexican pine, Montezuma pine, Michoacan pine, and white cedar trees in Mexico's Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR). Furthermore, these native trees not only provide overwintering shelter for monarch butterflies but also help combat climate change through carbon sequestration.
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Together, we can protect this iconic species and create a more biodiverse and sustainable planet.
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Visit Forests For Monarchs to donate today!