The initiative is being conducted by the Kootenay Native Plant Society (KNPS), who planted 147 different plant species at the waystation site today, Wednesday, October 6.
A waystation is a designated area that provides resources to support monarch butterfly migration. The Rosemont waystation features milkweed plants for caterpillars to feed on and nectar-rich flowers for adult butterflies to fuel their long journey south.
Monarch butterflies are recognized internationally as an endangered species, and the monarchs in B.C. are a western subspecies.
KNPS restoration and mapping coordinator Angeline Emmott says the Kootenays are one of the northernmost regions to have a monarch butterfly presence in the summer.
“We are one of the most northern regions in this area for monarchs to fly up to in the summer, and on their way back, it’s especially important that they have late-source nectar to fuel up for their journey home. The monarchs here are special—they don’t fly to Mexico like many of us might think, but actually migrate down to the California coast. We’re in a lucky area here in the Kootenays where we can support their needs.”
The decline in monarch butterfly populations is largely attributed to the absence of milkweed and other habitat changes resulting from climate change.
Emmott says milkweed was historically deemed an invasive species, which significantly contributed to its suppression.
“On its own, the plant is special to this ecosystem, and we’re trying to restore it and increase the population sizes wildly. All of the seeds that we’ve used to create these plants were locally collected from this area—they’re climate-adapted seeds for this specific ecosystem.”
Crews planted 60 milkweed seeds on the site on Wednesday, along with almost 70 other plants, including asters, goldenrod, and gaillardia, also known as brown-eyed Susans.
The waystation is located in the grassy area below Rosemont and above Highway 3B, where Nelson Fire Rescue conducted a prescribed burn in May.
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