Audubon International needs Monitors!
Adult Monarch Butterfly
Have you noticed butterflies around your local golf course? Since they’re so sensitive to change, plentiful numbers of butterflies indicate a healthy environment. While there are best practices for promoting the conditions butterflies need on your course, information is lacking on their response to these management actions. That’s why we need your help!
Monarchs in the Rough Through Audubon International’s Monarchs In The Rough (MITR) conservation initiative, we’re working to establish and promote plantings needed by monarchs and other butterflies. Hundreds of golf courses across North 56
America have already committed over
adequate food for caterpillars and adult
1,000 acres to these plantings since
butterflies is present in the plots, count
2017.
how many butterflies are present, and
Now that we’re three years into the
identify whether any adjustments are
initiative, the time has come to monitor
needed in the seed mixes or manage-
and evaluate the program - which is
ment practices.
where you come in!
The need for monitoring Audubon International invites you
Monitoring golf course pollinator plots is a great way to have a hand in butterfly conservation, even if you’re
to get involved with this monitoring
not affiliated with a golf course. You’ll
opportunity, even if your home course
learn about golf courses in your com-
is not a MITR member! The data you
munity or, if you live or work on a
collect will demonstrate two things; the
course, monitoring will help you con-
impact Monarchs In The Rough is hav-
nect with your neighbors about your
ing on the ground for butterflies, and
ongoing efforts to save butterflies.
will assess wildflower growth and use by monarchs. Through this, we’ll be able to tell if
How you can help!
We’re looking for volunteer citizen scientists to assist in monitoring MITR Golf Central • Volume 21, Issue 5
