Bring Back the Monarchs
FREE MILKWEEDS FOR SCHOOLS
AND NON-PROFITS
Monarchs and pollinators need our help due to habitat loss. If your school or non-profit organization is interested in this conservation measure, we can help you create a habitat for monarchs and pollinators. Please apply using this form. If your organization qualifies, we will provide a free flat of 32 milkweed plugsas well as guidance on how to create a new habitat or enhance an existing garden. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has provided funds for this project. For application guidance, refer to Appendix A - Monarch Garden Scoring Rubric.
Please complete this application in full, save a copy of this form in Microsoft Word format with the file name in the format of YourLastName.YourFirstName.MW.14.doc (or.docx) (e.g., Taylor.Chip.MW.14.doc or Taylor.Chip.MW.14.docx), and submit as an email attachment to
Contact Information
1.Organization name:
2.Organization address:
3.GPS location of garden:
4.Teacher or Team Leader's Name(s):
5.Affiliation/Role at the Organization:
6.Email:
7.Telephone:
8.Principal (school) or Leader of Organization name:
Project Support
9.Has the principal or organization leader written a letter of support (see Appendix B for an example)?
10.Are groundskeepers and maintenance personnel aware of the garden project and know not to mow, apply herbicides and insecticides or "weed" the designated habitat area?
11.Will this be a new garden or are you building on an existing one?
12.If this is a new garden, do you have funds to purchase nectar plants?
13.If this is an existing garden, list nectar plants already in place.
14.Do you have funds (~$33) to certify your garden as a Monarch Waystation and order a weatherproof sign?
15.List supportive community partners (businesses, PTA, etc.):
Volunteer Potential
16.List volunteers to help with this project (master gardeners, gardening committee, neighborhood association, etc.):
17.Please describe how you will involve different stakeholders in your garden project.
Planning / Promotion / Site Prep / Planting / Maintenance / Summer Caree.g.: PTA / advisory / press release / watering
Garden Site Description
18.Planned location for the garden (courtyard, field edge, front or back of building):
19. Please provide a physical description of the garden plots (dimensions and type of beds to be used, such as raised or non-raised):
20. Please attach a map of the garden and surrounding buildings (via email with your completed application).
21.How many hours of sunlight is the site exposed to per day?
22.Does the soil need amending because it is too compacted?
23.Does the soil need amending because it is too sandy?
24.Does the soil need amending due to too much clay?
25.Do you have funding to amend the soil (see Appendix C for guidance)?
26.Is water readily available to water the garden each week? Please choose one of the following to describe your site: a) No water available; b) Must carry water to site; c) Water and hoses available.
Garden Plan
27.In the chart below please list the new nectar plants to be planted in your garden site. Include the numbers of each species. Plan for 2-3 nectar plants for every 1 milkweed plant. Select plants that will bloom in spring, summer and fall. See Appendix D for ideas.
Common name of plant / Season of bloom / Total numberProject Calendar
28.Please provide a timeline for your proposed garden project, year 2014. See Appendix E for an example:
JanuaryFebruary
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Evaluation Plan
To justify the funding for this project and future projects, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) asked us to request photos of your gardens at different times during the season. We would welcome a paragraph describing the project with your recommendations as to how the project can be improved in the future. Tell us about your successes and failures. Tell us about the bees and butterflies that have been attracted to your garden. Most of the insects visiting the flowers in the garden can be identified using the many websites devoted to butterflies, moths, bees, flies and beetles. To facilitate these identifications, have students and visitors take pictures. Lists of pollinators (and/or their pictures) could be posted in the garden or on a website dedicated to the garden.
29.Will you commit to sending periodic, seasonal photos of the garden to Monarch Watch?
30.Describe how you will measure your project’s success(suggestions are: number of projects completed, number of students utilizing the garden, growth of garden, visiting pollinator species, new partnerships established, etc.):
Appendix A – Monarch Garden Scoring Rubric
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / ScoreSunlight / Full Shade / 1-3 h of sunlight / 3-6 h of sunlight / Full Sun (>6 h of direct sunlight)
Water Availability / No water available / Must carry water / Accessible water and hoses
Existing Nectar Plants / No existing nectar plants / 1-2 identifiable nectar plants / 2-4 identifiable nectar plants / 4+ nectar plants
Will Obtain Nectar Plants / No funding available / Funding available to purchase 30-40 nectar plants / Fully funded to purchase 60-90 or more nectar plants
Soil Type / Poor, compacted soil. Unable to obtain topsoil. / Well drained loam or able to obtain topsoil
Volunteer Potential / No interest or commitments made / Volunteer interest but no commitments made / A core group of volunteers have committed to assist with planting only / A core group of volunteers have committed to assist with planting and some maintenance / Leaders and community volunteers have committed to assist with planting and weekly maintenance
Project Support / None obtained yet / Letter of support from Principal / Leader; Maintenance workers and groundskeepers support garden.
Appendix B – Example letter of support
Have your principal or another garden team member draft a letter of support. Fax letters of support to: 785-864-1534 or email to: . Here is a sample:
[INSERT OFFICIAL LETTERHEAD]
[Date]
Dr. Chip Taylor
Monarch Watch
University of Kansas
2021 Constant Ave
Lawrence, KS 66047
Dear Dr. Taylor,
I/we proudly write this letter to the Monarch Watch in support and approval of the monarch habitat garden project here at [Name].
[Suggestions for OPTIONAL narrative:
• Garden vision and goals
• Garden Committee activities
• Description of collaboration with partners
• Anything else you would like to share with us about your garden!]
Our garden will serve as an educational space to inform youth about the importance of species conservation, as well as to support science and math learning.
I am/We are excited to be a part of the movement to bring back the monarch butterfly.
Sincerely,
[Principal and support staff signatures]
[Principal and support staff names]
Principal
[School Name]
Appendix C – Planting and Maintenance Guidance
Choice of plants
Refer to Appendix D -- These lists provide nectar plants, host plants and native and non-native perennials and annuals suitable for your region.Blooming seasons are also described.
Planting
Milkweed should be planted in April in the South (below the 35th parallel north), and in May in the North (above 35th parallel north).
Plant each species in clusters of 3-4.
Leave 1 foot of space between plants.
Amending or modifying the soil in a new garden
Too sandy – Mix in organic material such as peat moss to help absorb water as it passes through the sandy soil.
Too much clay – Mix in organic material such as compost, leaf mulch and manure to increase water flow through the clay and increase nutrient value.
Too compacted – Re-route heavy traffic, break up the layers of soil and add organic material.Ideally you will want to then till the soil to mix it and create a frame for a raised bed above.Fill the frame with rich topsoil from a garden center.This will give the plants a good start and allow their roots to take hold underneath the raised bed.Keep extra soil available for any settling that might occur.
Watering
Water the plugs well immediately after planting and then once per week thereafter until autumn.
Mulching
Mulch the entire garden with organic mulch such as wood chips, straw or shredded leaves to retain moisture and reduce weed growth.A layer of newspaper under the mulch will further prevent weeds from growing.
Weeding
Visit once every two weeks to remove weeds that come up in the mulch.
Appendix D – Suggested plant list
Plant lists are in process and will be available soon.
Appendix E - Example Calendar for a New School Garden in Northern Locations
January / Get approval of school principal, maintenance staff and begin planningFebruary / Plan garden – PTA seeks sponsorship from nurseries, enlist volunteers
March / Prepare garden bed/s, amend soil, remove unwanted vegetation
April / Plant and Water.Send photos to Monarch Watch.
May / Plant and Water.
June / Water, weed.
July / Water, weed.
August / Water, weed, observe monarchs.Announce student photo challenge*.
September / Observe, water, weed.Send student Photo Challenge to Monarch Watch
October / Observe, water, weed.
November / Cut back vegetation for winter.
December / Write evaluation for Monarch Watch.
* We will ask our students to take photos of the things they see in the garden.The challenge will be for them to identify what they have photographed.
1
5/30/14