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resources available for any [pollinator] to use in a degraded habitat like that. I think it is indicative of success when you start seeing more butterflies, more individuals of each species—that shows things are going well.” Armstrong noted songbirds in the surrounding treeline. They and other avians are among the insectivores whose survival interconnects with the project. In that way, Laws added, “by creating habitat for monarchs, we’re creating habitat for many other species.” Another good omen is several milkweeds at OWA have spawned new plants. Their seeds, dispersed by the wind much like a dandelion’s, took root and sprouted. Armstrong has not observed similar spread at the river site, which was planted a half-year later, “but likely it will have the same result.” Conservationists do not expect restoration projects alone to reverse the decline in mon-
archs. They press legislation and litigation against pesticides. They lobby elected leaders. Despite the recent international designation, the U.S. has yet to recognize monarchs under the Endangered Species Act. However, in June, multiple government and conservation agencies did convene for the first ever Monarch Butterfly Summit, at which the U.S. Department of the Interior awarded $1 million to the Monarch Butterfly and Pollinators Conservation Fund and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service committed to opening a national Pollinator Conservation Center. In addition their own habitat efforts, conservationists promote participation by their neighbors. The Xerces Society, for one, has plant lists to guide homeowners in replacing lawns and garden patches with natives such as California nectar plants for monarchs. While River Partners expands habitat annually, nearly
tripling the North State footprint with a 300-acre project near Redding, residents could compound growth exponentially.
“It reduces your water bill while providing habitat,” Armstrong said. “That’s a good one.” Ω
A showy milkweed at River Partners’ BidwellSacramento River State Park restoration, where soil conditions have yielded more robust plant growth than at the Oroville site. PHOTO BY EVAN TUCHINSKY
How much more immorality and non-transparency are the taxpayers and voters of Butte County going to take from the “higher ups” in law enforcement and city politics? Recent scandals include a local journalist being reimbursed his legal fees, $43,000± because the City of Chico did not comply with state laws to release public records regarding the killing of four civilians in officer-involved shootings PLUS the City of Chico being slammed down by the SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES when the justices DENIED the Chico City Council’s appeal of the favorable ruling the family of Tyler Scott Rushing received from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that allows the Rushing family to put the Chico PD officers who killed their son on trial. Why is the City Council of Chico obstructing the trial? How much did the taxpayers of Chico pay Alvarez-Glassman, Colvin for these follies, non-transparency, and failure to follow statutory requirements? 14
CN&R
AUGUST 4, 2022
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