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The Native Plant Society of Texas is kicking off its fourth year of the Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas Small Grants Program. Over 112 Monarch demonstration gardens or Monarch Waystations have received funding from the program since the spring of 2013.
Along with Monarch Watch, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has joined us as a partner this year!
Small financial awards in the amounts of $50.00 to $400.00 will be made available to public sites including schools, nature centers, and other organizations for native plants to create demonstration gardens or “Monarch Waystations” with habitat for migrating Monarchs and other native pollinator species. Applications to the Grant Committee must be made by Feb 15 and successful grant proposals will be awarded by March 1. The grant application process and eligibility criteria is described on the Native Plant Society of Texas website at https://www.npsot.org/wp/monarchs/.
Texas provides important breeding habitat as well as migratory habitat as the Monarchs travel to and from their wintering grounds in Mexico. The availability of native milkweed host plants and associated nectar plants, essential for maintaining Monarch populations, have declined throughout Texas. Herbicides, herbicide resistant crops, frequent mowing of roadsides, parks and open areas, pesticides and continued drought have all affected monarchs and the plants they depend on for successful journeys to and from Mexico.
The purpose of this program is to raise public awareness for Monarch conservation, to produce and distribute native milkweeds and nectar plants that are essential to reproduction by Monarch butterflies, and to restore Monarch habitats through the Texas migration flyway.
For more information contact Cathy Downs.
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**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: cathydowns
