Did you know the Monarch butterfly population has declined by approximately 90 percent since the 1990s?

The City of Arlington, which has designated Monarch Butterfly waystations at more than 20 parks, encourages the community to plant pesticide-free gardens with milkweed and other native nectar plants to help save these colorful migrating pollinators.

Arlington’s efforts to create an inviting environment for Monarchs includes sowing native milkweed seed in wildflower areas and no mow areas at public parks, working with groups such as the Native Plant Society to collect seeds and propagate milkweed, and distributing free native milkweed seed and Monarch fact brochures at community events throughout the year. The City has also added milkweed to the approved plant list for medians, rights of way and landscaping for both public and private buildings as well as has collaborated with the University of Texas at Arlington to grow milkweed at the Community Garden on campus.

How to help:

We are challenging our residents to also take simple steps to create a welcoming habitat for Monarch butterflies and other helpful pollinators.

• Incorporate native milkweed into your landscape plantings. North American is home to more than 100 species of native milkweed, with more than 30 of them native to Texas. The two most important in our area are Green Milkweed and Antelope Horn milkweed.
• Add some nectar plants to your garden, such as Texas Star Hibiscus, Coreopsis, purple cone flower, salvia, and Texas Lantana.
• Avoid the use of pesticides
• Creating a Monarch habitat, which includes food, water, shelter and a place to raise young. A habitat could be established in your yard, office, church or local school ground.
• Register your habitat with Monarch Waystation Program by clicking here. Let's all do our part to help save the Monarch Butterfly.