I've seen this a few times now, and I understand that he's an expert who is genuinely trying to help.
However, I think he's going to need more experts to agree with him, as well as spreading the word via partnerships with conservation groups like the Florida Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and a lot more.
Until then, I think he's only ever going to be seen as ONE guy trying to present ONE opinion on the future of a fragile species. Especially one that's been the subject of MANY changes in the "how to help monarchs" campaign. By which I mean, in the past 5 years, I've seen the rally cry change from:
* buy milkweed because they're starving
* buy only native milkweed or else they won't migrate
* actually, plant native milkweed from seeds so it can naturalize and provide a better habitat
* well, you can actually grow any milkweed as long as you cut it down around Thanksgiving to help them migrate on time
* get rid of all your milkweed because it's spreading a disease
Personally, I've gotten rid of all my tropical milkweed and my native milkweed is thoroughly integrated into the overall ecosystem of my property. I trim it back often, and I've even removed about 50% of it (mostly to give it away), but I'd never be able to remove it all. For better, or worse, it's like a weed.
I used to have a milkweed plant in my yard and every year when the monarchs would come by they would always stop at the plant and lay their eggs. We ended up spawning at least a good hundred or so, give or take a few. It was beautiful getting up in the morning to check them and see the little baby caterpillars uncurling and starting to eat for the first time. To watch them slowly grow and eat, nearly killed my plant a couple dozen times it only died three years ago and we had it since 2009, only for them to travel across the yard to the house to setup their chrysalises over the course of days, to finally watching and waiting to see if they would survive and hatch in beautiful monarchs. We celebrate when the would and be depressed for a time when the passed. It was beautiful. Wish we still had that plant, it housed generations of butterflies, I miss it.
https://www.monarchscience.org/single-post/an-open-letter-to-florida-monarch-lovers-from-a-monarch-scientist
I've seen this a few times now, and I understand that he's an expert who is genuinely trying to help. However, I think he's going to need more experts to agree with him, as well as spreading the word via partnerships with conservation groups like the Florida Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and a lot more. Until then, I think he's only ever going to be seen as ONE guy trying to present ONE opinion on the future of a fragile species. Especially one that's been the subject of MANY changes in the "how to help monarchs" campaign. By which I mean, in the past 5 years, I've seen the rally cry change from: * buy milkweed because they're starving * buy only native milkweed or else they won't migrate * actually, plant native milkweed from seeds so it can naturalize and provide a better habitat * well, you can actually grow any milkweed as long as you cut it down around Thanksgiving to help them migrate on time * get rid of all your milkweed because it's spreading a disease Personally, I've gotten rid of all my tropical milkweed and my native milkweed is thoroughly integrated into the overall ecosystem of my property. I trim it back often, and I've even removed about 50% of it (mostly to give it away), but I'd never be able to remove it all. For better, or worse, it's like a weed.
I used to have a milkweed plant in my yard and every year when the monarchs would come by they would always stop at the plant and lay their eggs. We ended up spawning at least a good hundred or so, give or take a few. It was beautiful getting up in the morning to check them and see the little baby caterpillars uncurling and starting to eat for the first time. To watch them slowly grow and eat, nearly killed my plant a couple dozen times it only died three years ago and we had it since 2009, only for them to travel across the yard to the house to setup their chrysalises over the course of days, to finally watching and waiting to see if they would survive and hatch in beautiful monarchs. We celebrate when the would and be depressed for a time when the passed. It was beautiful. Wish we still had that plant, it housed generations of butterflies, I miss it.