Monarch butterflies migrating through Nebraska have a much needed place to rest, thanks to several men at the Omaha Correctional Center.
The facility has partnered with the Henry Doorly Zoo and the Nebraska Wildlife Federation to give monarch butterflies a place to thrive. They are doing it by planting three different varieties of local ecotype milkweed on facility grounds. Grounds Corporal David Moore, at OCC, is leading the project.
Creating this habitat is essential because monarchs’ population numbers have declined 90% over the last two decades, according to Carolyn Butler, monarch butterfly and other pollinator program coordinator for the Nebraska Wildlife Federation.
Six incarcerated men took on this project under Moore’s leadership, first taking a twelve week class. The class, which focused on the business elements of gardening, landscaping and personal development, used the milkweed project as the main focus for learning.
After completing the course, the team began planting milkweed seeds in a greenhouse in March, moving them outside in late May. They saw their first three monarchs in early July, and numbers have only increased since then.