Page 15 - winter 2016 the rock

14 Friends oF red rock canyon Friends oF red rock canyon 15

M onarchs, M ilkweed & M igration Return Safely (continued from page 7) Don’t rely on having cell phone service at Red

• Signaling tools like a mirror or CD,
whistle and a small flashlight Rock Canyon as the cell coverage is spotty at
• Pocketknife or multi-use tool best.
$135,000 grant received to help the great Monarch migration By Pat Williams • Small first-aid kit

Hike with a similarly prepared companion. Be aware of your surroundings both immedi-
onarch butterflies. We all know they are for these beautiful pollinators. ate - hazards such as potential falls, danger-
Mbeautiful. Most people don’t realize that Plan your hike distance according to the ous animals, or even ankle-turning rocks, and
these delicate creatures migrate thousands of Doyle Way- quantity of water that you are personally distant - such as changing weather.
miles every year to their wintering location in man, past chair © Derek Ramsey - Wikipedia able to carry. When you’ve used up 1/3 of If you wish more information from Bob, at-
© Tom Hilton, Flickr Creative Com mons monarchs to complete has been con- Monarch on Swamp Milkweed Newsletter” (www.desertusa.com) advises by the Bureau of Land Management. Training
of the Native
Mexico. And most don’t know that the annual
your water, it’s time to turn around even if
Plant Team,
migration can involve up to four generations of
tend his volunteer training sessions sponsored
your goal hasn’t been met. The “Desert USA
tracted as the
is traditionally offered in the late winter or
the journey. Along the
not to ration your water … it will only do you
project manager
way, the monarchs
early spring.
good if you drink it.
for the study
stop to drink nectar
period and is
His parting advice is: “Don’t be bull-headed
and lay eggs on one
Always inform someone you trust of your
actively recruiting volunteers to assist with this
specific plant – the
and power through to your intended goal no
hike plan: Let them know your hiking route,
very important assignment. Positions include
milkweed (Asclepias).
Desert Milkweed
team leaders, field volunteers, seed cleaners,
safely rather than increase your risk-level.”
Stick with your itinerary, as it is easy to
planting/propagation, data entry and outreach. its distance and when you plan to return. matter what. Turn around and return home
become disoriented in the desert where many
Sadly, due to climate Training will be provided beginning in January landmarks and rock formations look similar.
change, increased use of and will continue, as needed, throughout the
Volunteers dedicated to the preservation of Red Rock Canyon
herbicides and habitat loss, project.
the North American mon- © Derek Ramsey - Wikipedia Monarchs (continued from previous page) “If the monarch goes extinct, it's no different
arch population has dwin- There are thirteen species of milkweed in After the pods are cleaned, the seeds will ecologically from the loss of the passenger pigeon.
dled from over one billion Nevada with the spider (Asclepias asperula), either be propagated in a greenhouse or It’s just like going into a museum and pulling a rare
to fewer than 60 million in desert (Asclepias erosa) and showy (Asclepias saved for revegetation efforts. painting off the wall and destroying it. How many
the past 20 years. Monarch speciose) varieties being the most common natural phenomena are we going to kill off? I think
Caterpillar
in Clark County. The flowering period ranges The project will also map the locations of the monarch is the canary in the coal mine telling us
What we’re doing to help. from April through August followed by the the milkweed plants and note the presence that things are beginning to go really wrong, when
plant develop- of any monarch butterflies, eggs or cater- you can take a widespread migration of this sort and
Friends of Red Rock Canyon was awarded a ing seedpods. pillars. The mapping results will be shared completely dismantle it as a result of human activ-
grant of $135,000 to locate, map and collect the Volunteers will with various government and private orga- ity. Is it ethical to let these things go extinct when
seeds of the native milkweed plants. The two- GPS the locations nizations in order to improve the popula- we have the ability to prevent that from happening?
year project will include plant propagation and of the blooming © Derek Ramsey - Wikipedia tion of the magnificent monarch. Are people the only creatures with a right to rich and
establishing or augmenting milkweed “bed and milkweed plants natural lives on this planet?”
breakfasts” for the monarch butterflies on their (and in some cases It’s the right thing to do.
annual migration. The grant, one of twenty- installing a protec- Swamp Milkweed Seedpod Lincoln Brower, Ph.D., Research Professor of
two awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife tive barrier around Biology, Sweet Briar College
Foundation, is part of an international effort to the plant – wild burros are very fond of milk-
protect, conserve and increase the habitat areas weed) and later return to collect the seedpods. Find out more on our website: www.friendsofredrockcanyon.org/butterfly.php or email butterfly@friendsofredrockcanyon.org
(Continued on next page) to volunteer for this great project.

the Rock - Volume 6 Issue 2 Winter 2016