On Tuesday, August 22nd, the Camden County Board of Commissioners and the Certified Gardeners hosted an event to launch a new initiative aimed at saving the endangered monarch butterfly population here in Camden County.
Through this program, the county will be installing waystations equipped with milkweed – the only host plant for monarch caterpillars and nectar plants for the adult butterfly – for monarchs across the county. Milkweed plants and milkweed seeds will also be available at the event for residents to take home and plant in their own yards.
“Monarch butterflies are critically important to our ecosystems and agriculture. These pollinators, along with moths, bees and hummingbirds, are needed for the reproduction of flowering plants and the production of human food crops,” said Commissioner Jonathan Young, liaison to the Office of Sustainability. “But unfortunately, like so many other precious species on earth, the monarch butterfly is falling victim to climate change, mainly due to the wide destruction of the milkweed plant. Camden County is leading the charge to save them from this bleak future and encourage our residents to get involved in this initiative because together, we can make a difference.”
The event will also feature a plant clinic and the release of 100 adult monarch butterflies.