An all-out effort to try to save the monarch butterfly is being launched in the North Bay, with multiple agencies teaming up to preserve Marin County's butterfly habitat.
The past several years have not been good for the beloved monarch butterflies.
"The Western Monarch Butterfly is in catastrophic decline," said Janet Klein with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Klein told KCBS Radio that the butterflies have gone from the many millions down to a few thousand seen in California this past year. The cause of the monarch's disappearance is something of a mystery, but habitat loss appears to be a significant factor.
That's why Marin County is launching the "One Tam" project. It's a partnership between the National Park Service, Marin County Parks and the state to preserve the monarch's "overwintering habitat," mainly in eucalyptus trees.
"By doing some pruning and thinning and possibly some additional planting, we can create the wind and temperature conditions that overwintering monarchs need," Klein said. "And then, we are also looking at their nectar resources. Can they find enough food?"
Their food is mainly native milkweed, not the tropical variety often sold at garden shops.
For more information on how to help the monarchs, visit the Western Monarch Mystery Challenge, which is not affiliated with the One Tam Project.
