To the untrained eye, the vacant land located along Shoreacres Boulevard, east of State Hwy 146, looks like an empty, weed-filled field. But looks can be deceiving … and therein lies the problem. The loss of land such as this has contributed to the nearing extinction of the North American monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus).
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Since the 1980s the monarch butterfly population has declined by 80-90 percent. The disappearance of a native wildflower known as milkweed* (Asclepias) is a major reason for their population decline. Milkweed* leaves are the only place monarchs will lay their eggs and the only food their caterpillars will eat. Milkweed* used to grow fairly abundantly in and around agricultural crops, but the systematic removal of native milkweed from fields, as well as the increased use of herbicides, has significantly reduced the amount of milkweed* available. Frequent mowing alongside roads and ditches has further contributed to the wildflower’s extermination.
Last spring, Virginia Pierson-Turner, a member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, noticed “some lovely blooms” in the nearly 20-acre tract alongside the highway near Shoreacres Boulevard and reached out to other local plant enthusiasts to tour the site. The group identified more than 130 species of primarily native Texas plants. Prevalent among these native Texas plants were hundreds, if not thousands, of Texas green milkweed (Asclepias viridis).
Pierson-Turner, who refers to the tract of land as “a coastal prairie remnant” reached out to TxDOT, the owner of the tract of land, to take steps to preserve it as a natural habitat.
“That such a store of native milkweed exists here, on a major flyway of migratory monarch butterflies is worth nurturing, and fortunately TxDOT was very willing to help,” Pierson-Turner said. “Rather than mowing every few weeks spring through fall, the mow schedule has been adjusted to one mow late summer and one late winter. This maximizes the productivity of the fallow land for the butterflies, and other local wildlife. Safety and proper visibility are certainly prime considerations, and with help from the City of Shoreacres, have been addressed.”
Pierson-Turner points out that there are other benefits of this reduced maintenance strategy.
“Less mowing will lead to lower costs and lower carbon emissions, less erosion, and much less runoff, which leads to less flooding,” Pierson-Turner said. “Due to the deep root system of native plants, an acre of prairie acts like a sponge and can retain more water than a retention pond.”
Every fall during September and early October, millions of North American monarch butterflies begin their trek from the United States and Canada to fly south for the winter.
“Many may be familiar with the I-35 “Monarch Highway” project sponsored by the Monarch Joint Venture and Transportation departments of six states, including Texas,” Pierson-Turner said. “Monarch butterflies winter down south in Mexico and migrate throughout the U.S. Many do follow a route along I-35 to populate the central U.S., but monarchs do not fly over mountains, so equally important is our own Highway 146 corridor.”
Pierson-Turner points out the majority of monarchs that populate the Eastern U.S. “take a right” at Galveston and follow the Gulf Coast.
“There are several essential preserves along the highway such as the Coastal Heritage in Galveston, the Texas City Prairie Preserve, and Bayside Park in San Leon. Now, our own Shoreacres Way Station can be an important link,” Pierson-Turner said.
When we clear land and replace these spaces with our St. Augustine lawns, and tropical plants, regardless of how attractive, we’ve eliminated the foundation of the food chain.
Chris Anastas
Chris Anastas, volunteer with the Monarch Joint Venture and the National Wildlife Federation, as well as citizen scientist on numerous projects, said that the monarch’s need for help is well known, but the monarch’s needs are representative of the struggle being waged by many of our native species of pollinators and birds.
“These hardy butterflies have evolved over thousands of years with our native plants,” Anastas said. “Monarch caterpillars can only survive eating milkweed, but this selective need is not uncommon. When we clear land and replace these spaces with our St. Augustine lawns, and tropical plants, regardless of how attractive, we’ve eliminated the foundation of the food chain. The plants you can see in this remnant Shoreacres prairie are critical for virtually every moth, butterfly and bee. And these are, in turn, vital for the survival of our birds.”
Garret Berg, community relations manager for the Port of Houston, said it is exciting to learn about this uncovered gem of native Texas grasslands and the group who are currently working to have it preserved for the community to enjoy.
“I’m especially glad to see individuals from all levels – community groups to state departments – working together to properly protect and enhance this special area of green space,” Berg said.
Troy Harrison, city manager for the City of Shoreacres, said preserving the natural spaces and beauty of Shoreaces was a core value shared by many in the community.
“We are excited about working with others who share in the hope of retaining portions of our lands to support the growth and development of plants and animals who have long been a part of our area,” Harrison said.
Anyone interested in species identification can find the Shoreacres Monarch Way Station as a Public Project on the iNaturalist.org website. The website includes photos and names for all the species that have been identified so far. Enthusiasts may also add their own observations to the site.
Additional notes from NPSOT:
*Not all milkweed is equal! Specifically tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is a non-native milkweed that can be quite problematic according to the Xerces Society: Tropical Milkweed-A No-Grow. Please read A Few of our Native Milkweeds by Bill Hopkins.
NPSOT Monarch Butterfly Programs
The Native Plant Society of Texas hosts a couple of important programs that support monarch butterflies. To get involved, visit Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas and the I-35 Monarch Way Station Project. If you would like to help support these efforts, volunteer your time or Donate to a Project.
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