Monarch festival celebrates spectacular migration

MINNEAPOLIS — Hundreds packed Lake Nokomis Park Saturday for music, food and dance, celebrating one of the most spectacular insect migrations in the world.

But amid the festivities, is an unsettling observation made among many monarch lovers.

"It seems like people are seeing fewer and fewer monarchs than they have in the past," said Wendy Caldwell, Executive Director for Monarch Joint Venture.

Monarch Joint Venture is a national, St. Paul-based nonprofit, focused on monarch and pollinator conservation.

"Everybody feels connected to them and I think that that's what makes them really special," said Katie Puffer, Education Manager for Monarch Joint Venture.

Every winter, the monarch population is calculated in Mexico. Early this year, a study by the World Wildlife Fund found that the monarch population dropped nearly 60% in just one year.

While the monarch decline can be traced back to the mid-1990s, Puffer said the low monarch count became alarming just over a decade ago.

"Even people who aren't in the monarch conservation sphere are noticing that there are fewer monarchs than there were when they were kids or when their kids were kids," said Puffer.

The two said climate change is a factor in the monarch's decrease. Monarchs rely on well-timed resources, meaning they need the right plants and temperatures at the right time.

"As that becomes less consistent and less predictable, that has an ability to really effect the way the population can reproduce," said Caldwell.

Caldwell and Puffer said you can help by planting milkweed, the only host plant of monarchs. Plantin nectar plants help, as well.

The two say just spreading the word, can make a world of difference.

"Using your voice to share your knowledge, not just with your community, but also with your elected officials," said Puffer.