MAY 2022
WINGS & THINGS www.presspubs.com
THE LOWDOWN
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Monarch conservation agreement ‘like an insurance policy’ BY CORINNE STREMMEL STAFF WRITER
Waiting Child
Nevaeh,17, is a talkative teen who likes to laugh and joke around. Nevaeh does a great job advocating for herself. She enjoys spending time with her friends, playing basketball and going to the movies to see a drama or comedy film. She loves Mexican food and going out for coffee. She likes classical and oldies music and admires Tupac. Nevaeh's favorite subject in school is math. Neveah is open to the type of family but would prefer an African American family. Neveah is open to a family that has other children and does not have a preference if they are older or younger. Nevaeh would do well in a home that is able to keep consistent rules and boundaries. She would like to live in the city versus the country. Nevaeh would enjoy having a cat.
Strategic mowing practices can preserve monarch habitat.
Submitted by MN Adopt, a state organization whose vision is to have zero kids waiting for permanent loving families, and mission to find and strengthen Minnesota adoptive, foster care and kinship families. To learn more, go to www.mnadopt.org.
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Staff Writer Corinne Stremmel can be reached by calling 651-407-1226 or emailing lowdownnews@presspubs.com.
PHOTOS BY DAN MACSWAIN | CONTRIBUTED
A healthy variety of native plants attract monarch butterflies.
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Washington County wants to save its monarchs. Over the past several years, the overall monarch population in the U.S. has continually declined, bringing monarch butterflies closer to a listing on the endangered species list. To preserve the monarch population, the Washington County Board of Commissioners has agreed to participate in the Monarch Candidate Conservation Agreement Assurance (CCAA) Program, a nationwide program originating from the University of Illinois-Chicago. “It’s kind of like an insurance policy,” said Minnesota Department of Transportation ecologist Christopher Smith. By entering the voluntary program, Washington County will proactively adopt conservation measures. In return, the county will be protected against additional regulatory actions that would likely occur if the monarch butterfly is added to the endangered species list. The measures being adopted now involve planting and seeding native plants to bolster monarch habitat along County Road 21 and the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail. The plan also includes brush removal and conservation mowing. “The largest change, and probably the most important one, is implementing conservation mowing,” said Washington County Natural Resources Coordinator Dan MacSwain. “That means we won’t be mowing between May 1 and Oct. 1.” By doing this, the county will not mow any milkweed while monarchs are present during their peak season in Minnesota. MacSwain explained that being strategic about mowing can encourage regrowth for milkweed, but for now, the county will implement a no-mow plan for May through October in affected areas. Though Washington County is taking action to preserve the monarch population, Smith says that it is still possible that the monarch might get listed. That’s where the “insurance policy” comes into play. “If the monarch gets listed and you’re a land manager participating in the CCAA, you’re not going to be subjected to the extra regulations,” said Smith. “The incentive is to be proactive, because if the listing still occurs, a permit is administered saying that steps have been taken.” If Washington County were to not sign on to the agreement and the monarch is eventually listed as an endangered species, all activities that may harm the monarch — like road construction or any infrastructure maintenance — would be subjected to regulations that can cause delays, which could lead to significant project cost increases. It can be difficult to gauge the exact monarch population in Washington County or Minnesota in general, but much of the monarch population data is taken from wintering numbers when monarchs migrate to Mexico. According to MacSwain, populations have continued the trend downward over the last decade due to climate change and land use changes. “Our area in the upper Midwest is very important to the species, and that’s why there is this all-hands-on-deck approach to help recover the species by working with the ag(riculture) industry, road authorities, state DOTs and the DNR to try to get everyone to do a little bit to stop the continuing decline,” said Smith. Like any species, monarchs play a crucial role in the county’s ecosystem and, as MacSwain noted, they can be a beautiful presence in the summertime. “I guess I couldn’t envision a world without the monarch,” said MacSwain.
