The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board (TSSWCB) is working in cooperation with 143 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCD) located in Texas to enhance and restore the Monarch Butterfly habitat.  

It is estimated that over the past 20 years the Monarch population has declined from 1 billion to less than 60 million due to a number of factors. One of the most prominent factors that has contributed to this steep population decline is the loss of habitat and food sources.

The iconic orange and black insects are dependent on nectar producing vegetation to produce energy for their annual migration from Mexico to Canada. The Monarch Caterpillar on the other hand, depends on Milkweed as a critical food source.   

As a result of this decline of the Monarch Butterfly population, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) as well as the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have provided funds to enhance and restore the Monarch Butterfly habitat.

The project provides funding to develop conservation plans and plant pollinator friendly plant species on 1,600 Texas rural lands along the Monarch’s migratory pattern. The funding will be made available to farmers, ranchers or private landowners with tracts of land between 1 and 30 acres. The funds will pay $375 per acre to cover seed cost, planting and maintenance of the land. Entities such as schools or municipalities qualify for funding to develop a Monarch Butterfly garden between 100 and 300 square feet.

Applications will be available on May 2, 2016 on the project website at: www.tsswcb.texas.gov/monarch. Each application will be submitted through the applicants local Soil and Water Conservation District. To find your local SWCD visit: tsswcb.texas.gov/en/swcds/locatormap.

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the author’s and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government or the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and its funding sources.