Marin Monarch Working Group
Western monarch butterflies used to be a common sight in Marin. But the number of monarchs in Marin has declined by 99% since the 1980s.
Causes of this decline include climate change, habitat loss, parasites, and pesticide use.
It’s not to late to act…but the time to act is now!
Latest news about the monarchs’ welfare in California….
This winter’s Western Monarch Count found just 9,119 monarchs at overwintering sites along the West coast. This is the second-lowest number recorded since the count began in 1997.
In response to a drastic 90% population decline nationally, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is proposing to list monarch butterflies as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The USFWS is accepting comments from the public. Click here to submit a comment before the May 19 deadline.
Historic Agreement on Cattle Ranching and Wildlife Management at Point Reyes National Seashore…
In January of 2025, three groups reached a private settlement to retire 11 of the existing 12 dairy and cattle operations at the Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS). The parties to the agreement included the National Park Service , three environmental groups (Resource Renewal Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and Western Watersheds Project), and more than a dozen dairy and cattle ranchers. Negotiations were mediated by The Nature Conservancy.
The settlement effectively ends all dairying and some beef operations on the PRNS. The 11 ranches will cease operations within 15 months. Twenty-year leases have been issued to nine beef ranch families, seven in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and two in the PRNS.
The vacated lease areas will be managed through a cooperative agreement between the Nature Conservancy and the National Park Service, and will include targeted grazing as part of land management efforts.
A controversial aspect of the agreement pertains to its effects on farmworkers and tenants living in the PRNS area. While some funding has been secured to support employment and housing options for these residents and workers, additional fundraising is necessary to ensure equitable assistance.
Conversion of agricultural land to open space may impact the type of habitat available for monarchs in West Marin. Ongoing challenges to the settlement make it difficult to predict the nature of possible habitat restoration efforts to help the monarch.
Who We Are
The Marin Monarch Working Group was established in 2019 to address the existential crisis facing the western monarch, one of California’s most iconic creatures. Our group of volunteers includes educators and advocates, county officials, biologists and botanists, agricultural advisors, gardeners, and monarch lovers. We rely on donations to purchase materials needed for habitat restoration, such as native plants, as well as to cover the costs of disseminating information and organizing public action. MMWG is fiscally sponsored by Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Public Education
We disseminate science-based information.
Advocacy
We advocate for policies and practices that promote monarch welfare.
Monitoring
We support community science efforts to monitor monarch welfare.
Habitat Restoration
We create and restore monarch habitats in open and public spaces.
Join our mailing list
Those on the mailing list receive an email invitation to attend our monthly MMWG zoom meetings, where we share updates and plan actions to protect the monarch and its habitat.
Please consider making a donation
Your donations will be used to support the advocacy, education, and habitat restoration efforts of our volunteers.
Prefer to donate by check? Make your check out to Turtle Island Restoration Network/MMWG and send it to TIRM, Attn. Audrey Fusco, PO Box 370, Forest Knolls, CA 94933.
Thank you!!
MMWG is fiscally sponsored by Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. EIN 91-1818080