Celebrating anniversaries of overwintering discovery & MBBR
The year 2025 marks two important anniversaries related to monarchs in Mexico.
Exploring Possible Alternative Monarch Overwintering Sites in the Southeast
Charlotte Hovland, funded by the Monarch Butterfly Fund, has been using Journey North data to identify possible overwintering locations in the U.S. Southeast.
Monarch Winter 2024–2025 Population Numbers Released
Eastern population winter count up 99%. While this is good news, it is still below the average for the past decade.
ESA Listing Decision Announced
After careful consideration, the USFWS has determined that monarchs are "threatened" - they are likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future through a significant portion of their range
Alternare Receives Award from “Fundación Merced”
“Fundación Merced” awarded the “Razón de Ser” (Reason for Being) prize to Alternare acknowledging their institutionality, transparency, responsibility and professionalism.
Drone Experiments to Assess Climate Change and its Impact on Forest Conditions
Dr. Cuauhtémoc Saénz and PhD Student José Luis Gallardo use drones to assess stress levels of oyamel trees in the monarch areas.
Alternare Receives Award from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Alternare receives award from UNDP in the "Gender Equality for Environmental Action" category for their work empowering rural women.
Remembering Lincoln Brower and His Legacy
On the anniversary of his passing, we celebrate Lincoln Brower - monarch scientist, conservationist and friend.
2024 LPB Award Recipients Announced
Three excellent student proposals have been accepted for funding.
Eastern Monarch Population Decreases by 59.3% in 2023-2024 Overwintering Season
Monarch Winter 2023-2024 Population Numbers Released
Risk Assessment of Pesticides in the Eastern Avocado Belt
Research on the use of pesticides in the Eastern avocado belt in Michoacán using a survey and water monitoring approach.
Mexico's Monarch Fund Receives Contribution from the Government of Michoacán
Governor of Michoacán contributes one million dollars to Mexico's Monarch Fund.
Monarchs Ranked as "Endangered" in Canada
Monarchs are now ranked as "Endangered" under Canada’s Species at Risk Act (SARA).
Flight Challenge Update - testing mSail functions during 2023-2024 overwintering season
Flight challenge scientists are advancing trying out mSAIL (milligram-scale multi-modal sensor) at the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve.
Rains greet monarchs this 2023-2024 overwintering season
Year to year variation and conditions associated with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation raise questions and concerns about the monarchs' future and how best to conserve this migratory marvel.
Monarchs are settling in at their overwintering sites in 2023-2024 season
Monarch overwintering colonies are dynamic. At this time of year, monarchs are moving about in the forests and establishing their roosts. Read more about this process and see videos of this spectacular phenomenon.
MBF Grantees Explain Their Research in Upcoming MJV Webinar
MBF's grantees, Dr. Cuauhtémoc Sáenz-Romero, and Dr. José Arnulfo Blanco García, are giving a presentation on the impact of climate change on oyamels in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve on the Monarch Joint Venture's webinar series on November 14, 2:00 EST.
Eastern population nearing its overwintering home in 2023-2024 season
Observers collectively track monarch migration via Journey North. Visit the Journey North site for maps and news of the migration.
Monarchs Across Georgia's Fall 2023 Edition of "The Chrysalid" Just Out
Symbolic migration celebrates 28 years!
Eastern Population Decreases by 22% in 2022-2023 Overwintering Season
Monarch population decreases in 2022-2023 Overwintering Season.
Evaluations of Tree Survival Rates in Reforestations
The success of reforestation programs relies on periodic monitoring of trees planted at different periods of time.
Reforestation: Step by Step
Reforestation in the monarch’s Mexican overwintering sites is crucial for the monarchs and just as important for the well-being of the local residents.
The Story of Carlitos and The Trees he Planted
Ten-year-old Carlitos Cruz tells the story of how he planted trees with his parents in 2015, and how the trees are doing today, six years later.
Drones Monitoring Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Drones are being used as part of the assisted migration research to get information on the health of oyamel trees.
2023 Lincoln P. Brower Award Winners
Graduate student Grace Thomas and undergraduate student Fernanda Naomi Shimizu Romero received the “Lincoln P. Brower Award” in May 2023.
Alternare Celebrate their 25th Anniversary
MBF's long-standing partner celebrated their 25th birthday!
Migratory Monarchs Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List
Monarchs are now listed as an Endangered species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.
Monarch Population Increases by 35% in the 2021-2022 Season
Monarch population increases in 2021-2022 overwintering season.
Symbolic Migration Video
Journey North's symbolic migration is shown in this video.
Overwintering Monarchs Occupy 2.10 Hectares in 2020-2021
Monarch population in 2020-2021 overwintering season.
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Publishes Article About Lincoln Brower
MBF Board members and others wrote an article titled “Lincoln Brower, Champion for Monarchs.”
Newsweek Mexico Publishes Article on the Monarchs Highlighting Alternare’s Work
A great article on how poverty affects the monarch area and how Alternare, with the support of MBF and many others are helping.
Overwintering Population Increases by 144% in 2018-2019 season
Monarch population increases in 2018-2019 season.
Remembering Dr. Lincoln P. Brower
Our friend and longtime colleague Lincoln P. Brower passed away on July 17, 2018.