We are lucky to live in an area with a wealth of opportunities to get involved! Listed below you can find several community resources and opportunities.
College Station Resources:
In response to the National Wildlife Federation’s call to save the monarch population, the cities of Bryan and College Station have signed the pledge to create monarch friendly exhibits and cities. The links found on this page include up-to-date information for College Station, including current activities that you can get involved in!
You can also find pictures here of activities from the mayor’s monarch pledge.
Housed at Bee Creek Park in College Station is a beautiful butterfly garden, waiting for you to visit and enjoy! Pictures from this flickr account are just a sneak peak of what all you will find if you visit.
The address for Bee Creek Park is 1900 Anderson St, College Station, TX 77840.
Every year, the city hosts Monarch March, or a similar event to promote awareness of the monarch migration and get the community involved. The article linked above explains the most recent celebration from March of 2019. In the future, celebrations may also be found on the same website as they become available.
Opening in 2019, The TAMU Gardens have been a great addition to the community. According to their website, “The Mission of The Gardens at Texas A&M University is to engage the community in a living teaching environment, encourage curiosity and discovery, and to develop wonder for the natural world.” As for their involvement in monarchs in particular, they have a special “Butterfly and Bee Garden” that supports pollinators. They also have many milkweed plants for butterflies to feed and lay eggs on. They are constantly hosting events to get the community involved in nature and the outdoors.
Bryan Resources:
Bryan, Texas has also started their own initiative to promote residents to start their own butterfly gardens, and to educate the next generation!
More Educational and Support Efforts in the Bryan/ College Station Area:
Efforts to Rebuild Monarch Numbers
This article explains the ways that people and organizations can make a difference in the Brazos Valley area. The different initiatives within the area are discussed. There is also a lot of talk about the role that Texas A&M, specifically within the entomology department, plays in conservation of the monarch butterflies. There are many valuable resources and references within the article that could be very helpful to individuals interested in making a difference in the monarch butterfly populations.
This website gives detailed instructions on how to properly begin and maintain a butterfly garden. Additionally, they have a goal to teach people to “plant a migration station” so that monarch butterflies have more resources and guidance on their migration routes. These efforts will help ensure the safety and proper migration for the monarchs, and hopefully increase the populations.
Monarch Migration Marks the Beginning of Spring in the Brazos Valley
College Station has begun an annual Monarch March in Lick Creek Park to celebrate the migration of the monarch butterflies through the brazos valley region. The Texas A&M Entomology department played a huge role in educating the community about the monarchs and other insects. This community event helps inform the community, including all age ranges from young children to older adults, in an effort to increase awareness about the importance of monarch butterflies.
Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History’s 7th Annual Wish Upon a Butterfly
The Wish Upon a Butterfly event is held at the Brazos Valley Museum on Natural History. The main goal of this event is to educate people about the Texas state insect- the monarch butterfly. This event is also a fundraising effort, where people can donate $30 to purchase butterflies, which supports the museum and goes toward more education and support of monarch butterflies.
Service Opportunities and Texas Butterfly Exhibits:
Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Museum of Natural Science
This opportunity is located in Houston, Texas. This exhibit provides information on preserved specimens, living examples of some of the largest and weirdest arthropods, and there is even a semi annual butterfly plant sale. There is also a Brown Hall of Entomology, where the same services are provided.
This opportunity is available in Galveston, Texas. There is a year round tropical butterfly exhibit in their rainforest pyramid. There is also a showing on the “Flight of the Butterflies 3D” in their theater.
This opportunity is located at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. Their mission is to teach effective ways to restore, conserve and preserve nature in the urban environment. There is also a butterfly garden and insectarium located onsite.
