By Hannah Nybo, SCWF community outreach intern
With support from people all over South Carolina and deep appreciation for generous donors and volunteers, this year’s native milkweed seed distribution program was a huge success!
Over the past twenty years, there has been a sharp decline in the monarch butterfly population along their normal migration routes from Canada to Mexico. In fact, these important pollinators have dwindled by almost 97 percent! Native milkweed plants, however, are the key to helping these beautiful butterflies continue to thrive in North America.
This year, the SC Wildlife Federation was able to assist in increasing crucial habitat for our fluttering friends by distributing nearly 5,000 milkweed packets throughout the state! Native milkweed seed varieties were purchased in bulk from Ernst Conservation Seeds, then packaged and shipped by interns and generous volunteers. These seed packets were paired with informational cards that we created for recipients to learn how to successfully raise the plants, and how essential the plant is to the monarch species.
South Carolina residents were excited by the opportunity to support the butterflies, and it showed through their participation. The project was advertised just once on social media, and we received 4,000 requests in two months! One recipient, Sherry Lawrence of Sumter, shared that she was “looking forward to new little babies that will turn into beautiful butterflies!” This energized support from those who requested the seeds is part of what made this project so successful! We also asked recipients to consider donating to offset program costs, and many of you did. Thank you!
Because of this project, thousands of migrating monarchs will now have places to lay their eggs and food for their caterpillars before they become butterflies and begin their journey to Central Mexico. Hopefully, we will see an increase in monarchs in the coming years!
Through this program, the SCWF was also able to educate, advocate, and build our network with 4,000 new supporters, and to connect them with the wildlife in their own backyards. Recipients like Pam Sarratt of Anderson are excited to learn about and support the butterflies, and “can’t wait to see monarch butterflies on the flowers” in their own yards. Dozens of requests have already come in for next spring’s distribution, and we are so excited to continue supporting the monarch butterfly!
If you or your company are interested in sponsoring this program in 2022, please contact Angi Fuller Wildt at mail@scwf.org or 803-256-0670, or use the Donate button on our home page.
We would like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to our interns Brantley Bissette & Hannah Nybo for all their work on this program! THANK YOU ALSO to volunteers Barbara & Jimmy Watson for MANY hours dedicated to processing the seed packet requests, as well as volunteers Kathy Resener, Jean Prothro, and Becky Mace. We couldn’t have done this without you all helping us out!
Banner photo: Monarch Butterfly by Teri Carter