In partnership with United States Fish and Wildlife Service, The Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, Butterfly Farms, Sky Mountain Permaculture Institute, and the California Native Plant Society, a pollinator garden was installed along the Coast to Crest Trail near Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead.
The purpose of this garden is to help conserve pollinators like the Monarch Butterfly. In Southern California, restoration mostly focuses on repairing rare ecosystems. There is a lot of effort on the conservation of endemic species on the brink of extinction. The Monarch is a wide-ranging species and currently relies on forests of nonnative eucalyptus for over wintering sites.
There is work that needs to be done to conserve the Monarch Butterfly in Southern California, and there is a demand for conservation efforts from the public. One scale for conservation actions is very local and small. By planting pollinator gardens that incorporate native species of milkweed, homeowners, students, and teachers are able to provide habitat for Monarch Butterflies.
These actions help people develop an interest and understanding of the Monarch Butterfly. Pollinator gardens in public spaces act as demonstration gardens. In addition to learning about the Monarch, people can learn about native plants and other pollinators. They can take lessons demonstrated in the garden and put them into practice at home. Lessons include the use of less harmful pest control, water saving techniques, and the value of a diverse ecosystem to pollinators. An interpretive panel will be installed soon explaining the importance of these types of gardens.
Coast to Crest Trail Awarded $285,140 Grant!