What does this mean for Oklahoma?

Monarch butterflies face many threats, but we can support their recovery through collaborative conservation action. Supporting and sustaining the monarch migration requires an organized effort across all land use sectors in our great state.

Okies for Monarchs supports monarch and pollinator conservation planning and implementation efforts by facilitating information sharing, collaboration, and carrying out identified conservation priorities within our Statewide Monarch Action Plan. With more than 40 partners, ranging from state agencies to non-governmental organizations, businesses, and citizens like you, Okies for Monarchs partners to protect the monarch migration. Okies for Monarchs and its collaborative network play a pivotal role in the conservation of the iconic monarch butterfly, as well as the diverse plants, animals, and ecosystem services dependent on grassland habitat.

Show Your L❤️VE for Monarchs!

Create Habitat for Monarchs - Monarchs can only survive with an abundant supply of milkweed. Do your part to help the monarchs by planting native milkweed and nectar plants!

Register Your Efforts - To understand the level of participation in helping monarchs, we rely on your help to collect data on habitat and other monarch-related projects happening in Oklahoma. Whether it’s an art installation or a backyard garden, your efforts matter and can help inspire others!

Certify Your Garden/Habitat - The certification process will help you find many small actions that you can easily implement to create biodiversity. Hanging a sign in your garden also helps promote the message and build awareness about the importance of wildlife habitat to your friends and neighbors.

Report Your Sightings - To understand the monarch migration, we rely on the help of community scientists (also called citizen scientists) to collect data during all phases of the annual life cycle of monarch breeding, migrating, and overwintering.

Contribute Financially to Conservation - Support our collaborative efforts through financial contributions. Okies for Monarchs provides several options to support monarch conservation in Oklahoma through one-time gifts, monthly gifts, yearly gifts, stylish license plates and native wildflower mixes.

The Oklahoma City Zoo is currently accepting applications for its Living Classroom Grant program, which provides opportunities for Oklahoma City’s youth to contribute to wildlife and habitat conservation through their own inspiring actions. Oklahoma City metro area schools, kindergarten through 12th grade, are invited to to apply for the program to create monarch gardens at their locations and help provide crucial habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. Applications are being accepted now through April 30, 2024.

By now, you may be familiar with the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) and their Yard by Yard community resiliency program: an initiative aimed at increasing native plant populations in urban areas – you guessed it – yard by yard. Today, we’re pleased to announce The OACD’s latest and greatest new program for businesses, churches, parks, and other large spaces. It’s called Grounds by Grounds, and applications are officially open!

The Oklahoma Native Plant Network (ONPN) is looking for your input! Plants that are indigenous to our state are tough and adapted to the Oklahoma landscape. They provide food and habitat to support pollinators, improve soil health, prevent erosion, reduce air pollution, provide many other ecological benefits, and they are BEAUTIFUL. The ONPN is a group of landscape professionals seeking to promote the greater use of these plants in the Oklahoma landscape. Your input will help inform them as they plan future events.