Dakota Gardener: Providing feedback on the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly as threatened

We take the graceful beauty of the monarch butterfly for granted. This iconic species undertakes one of the world’s greatest migrations from central Mexico to southern Canada and back again each year. Despite its travel endurance, the species is still fragile as reflected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) proposal to list the monarch as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
The two main North American populations have experienced dramatic declines. The eastern population overwinters in high altitude fir trees west of Mexico City and then migrates into the U.S. east of the Rocky Mountains. The much smaller west of the Rockies population overwinters in coastal California, competing with humans for prime real estate.
The eastern population is quantified in terms of area it occupies in Mexican wintering grounds. Since the 1996-97 winter, the population has plummeted over the years from 18 to 0.9 hectares in 2023-24. The tiny western population is individually counted and only 230,000 butterflies were found in 2023.
Alarmed by declining numbers, the FWS concluded that the monarch merited listing as a threatened species due to decreases in breeding, migratory and overwintering habitat, insecticide exposure and climate change.
The proposal’s cornerstone is designating 4,395 acres of critical habitat in California where the western monarchs overwinter. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lacks jurisdiction over the Mexican wintering reserves.
In the past, the Endangered Species Act protections for relatively obscure species have generated controversy amongst different groups. How does this proposal affect gardeners and homeowners in our region?
The FWS seems to understand that an overly rigid approach does not work when the threatened species is dispersed across 49 states and not just a small niche habitat. In order for monarch populations to stabilize and recover, the agency realizes that it needs the general public’s support and participation to aid recovery efforts by planting milkweed and nectar plants.
While it is illegal under the proposal to kill, injure, harass or take monarch adults or caterpillars, numerous exemptions exist to prevent unintended legal consequences. Individuals will not be held liable for hitting a butterfly with a car. Captive rearing of fewer than 250 monarchs is allowed for educational and inspirational purposes. Most importantly, gardeners can still manage and remove milkweed in their gardens.
The proposal to list the monarch as a threatened species is not a done deal. The FWS invites comments from the general public and stakeholder groups through March 12, 2025. If interested, follow the link at the end of the article to review the proposal and submit comments, concerns and suggestions to improve the proposal.
As a horticulturist, I cannot speak on the impacts for the agronomic and ranching communities. However, we all hope for a final rule that conserves monarchs for our grandchildren while avoiding unintended consequences for our region’s agricultural industry. The key to striking a balance is extensive scientific data and submitting comments to ensure feedback from a variety of stakeholders.
To read the proposal and submit comments, visit https://bit.ly/monarchproposal.
To learn how to design a monarch conservation garden, visit ndsu.ag/monarchgarden.
-North Dakota State University