Helping to protect the Monarch butterfly.
For now, and for the generations after us.
This project is about protecting and educating the public about why Monarch Butterflies and Pollinators are so important to our ecosystem.
We believe that everyone should have a place to wind down and connect with nature, and enjoy the outdoors. The Monarch Way Station Project is a project that is intended to engage the community and also teach and educate the public.
We have established a monarch butterfly waystation at Hillside Trail in Chatham Township, New Jersey.
As part of their lifecycle, monarchs migrate south across North America annually. But due to the loss of natural habitat, their journey has become harder and their numbers are dwindling.
Establishing a way-station helps to support the monarch butterflies' migration patterns.
Every year, we care for dozens of monarch caterpillars in our own monarch nursery.
We begin by collecting monarch eggs in the wild, in mid- summer. We bring the eggs indoors to protect them from predators like birds, and other insects.
We care for them for many weeks, until they develop into full-grown butterflies, ready to be re-released.
You don't have to have a green thumb in order to help....Although it certainly doesn't hurt!
If you are interested in helping out, there are so many ways that you can do this. You can start by exploring the pages on this website to learn more.
When you are ready, there are many other helpful sites, including Monarch Watch, which we think is another great resource.
Hillside Trail in Chatham, N.J.
Our local Monarch Waystation is hosted at Hillside Trail in Chatham Township, NJ. The trail is conveniently located, and parking is easy. The trail has a well marked path for those who enjoy a short hike, or perhaps as one part of a longer stroll, or bike ride.