Welcome to UIC, Monarch Butterflies!
The UIC Heritage Garden (HG) Internship received a grant from the USDA Forest Service International Program earlier this month to develop and maintain a monarch butterfly habitat located in front of the Latino Cultural Center. The HG interns have been busy planting and researching various plants to provide monarch butterflies energy for their long migratory journey. Due to rapid climate change and destruction of habitat, there has been a call for action to address and aid declining populations. Monarch butterflies are not only amazingly beautiful but pollinators of our food.
Also, the parallels between migrants in North America and the Monarch butterflies are striking. Most obvious is the similarity in the actual geographic route of these creatures of flight and so many migrants from Latin America who search for safer and healthier places to lay a strong foundation for the next generation.
Thank you USDA Forest Service International Program for this grant full of opportunities!