As highlighted in the December Bulletin, District 5400 made news as the first Rotary district in the Western Americas to sign the Pollinator Resolution, but we are also taking action on the ground to support monarch butterfly recovery. This fall, 150 showy milkweed seed packages were requested by, and distributed to, individual Rotarians and clubs for planting across our entire district. Milkweed leaves are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars.
Many clubs got involved, but Pocatello was the standout, as shown in this picture. Special thanks to Rich Kirkham for leading the Pocatello crew!
And, there's more good news. While monarch butterfly populations are still down almost 90% since the 1990s, counts from the last two years are bouncing up. The preliminary 2022 Xerces Society Thanksgiving count indicates 300,000 monarch butterflies in the California wintering grounds - the most in over 5 years. Rotarians are taking action, and there is hope for this beautiful pollinator and Idaho's state insect!