I received the following email and thought some of the forum readers might enjoy it, too, as many of us garden for the Monarchs .... Mary

Greetings Monarch Watchers! As we reflect on 2015 it becomes clear that we have a LOT to be thankful for so we thought we’d send a quick note expressing our gratitude and also give you a brief update on the monarchs and Monarch Watch.

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Monarch Population Status--------------------------

Some of you may have heard about the big snowstorm that recently hit northern Mexico and might be wondering if the monarchs were affected. Chip has been checking several locations in central Mexico and particularly those around Angangueo (which is near the monarch overwintering sites). The temperatures are finally normal for this time of the year (after being much higher than normal) and the 45-day forecast for the area looks good as well - with normal temperatures throughout January and well into February.
We hope to have some official monarch population numbers in the near future as measurements at the overwintering sites in Mexico are typically done in December - stay tuned.

--------------Creating a Monarch Highway---------------------

Chip put together a brief memo earlier this month describing a concept for how we might configure I-35 as a Monarch Highway. This memo is intended to be a starting point for discussion. Although the memo describes how we might proceed with habitat restoration for monarchs and pollinators along our highways, modifications of this plan could be applied to other right of ways (ROWs), as well as public and private lands.
You can read the complete memo and supporting articles via our blog at http://monarchwatch.org/blog/

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2015 Tagging Season--------------------

Thank you to everyone that participated in the 2015 Monarch Tagging for Monarch Watch. Many of our taggers have already returned their datasheets, but if you haven’t yet there is still time. Please mail them to the address listed on the sheets or go to http://monarchwatch.org/tagging to download the 2015 Monarch Watch Tagging Datasheet in Excel format. You can fill out the datasheet with any spreadsheet application and return to us via email. Once we receive data from the overwintering sites in Mexico (usually over the winter and into the spring) we will be able to combine the records with your tagging data. Please, please, return your completed datasheets.

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Monarch Watch Tagging Data
-------------------

We continue to work on cleaning our massive tagging database and plan to have this project completed in 2016. We will be able to generate a number of interesting and useful statistics going forward so stay tuned for further announcements via our Email Newsletters, Blog, and Facebook page.

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Donations to Monarch Watch
------------------

A BIG thank you to all who donated to Monarch Watch this year. We rely on contributions like yours to be able to keep our education, conservation, and research programs going - and growing!
We invite you to read through the comments left by donors via our annual “Chip in for Monarch Watch” fundraising campaign in honor of our director, Dr. Chip Taylor - we think you'll agree that the connections that are facilitated by monarchs and Monarch Watch are truly extraordinary. Chip in for Monarch Watch: http://monarchwatch.org/chip/
If you are interested in making a tax-deductible donation to Monarch Watch or have questions about gift options, gift planning, endowed funds, employer matching programs, etc. please visit http://monarchwatch.org/donate/ or contact us directly at any time.
THANK YOU!

-------------Milkweed Distribution Efforts
-----------------------

We announced our "Milkweed Market" in 2013 to facilitate the planting of milkweeds in an effort to help maintain the monarch migration and sustain the pollinators whose pollinating services maintain our ecosystems. In the first year we worked with a single nursery and distributed more than 21,000 milkweed plugs. We partnered with two nurseries in 2014 and were able to distribute 59,000 plugs. 2015 saw additional growth as we we worked with four nurseries and distributed over 109,000 pesticide-free milkweed plugs. We continue to expand our efforts and have an even bigger goal for 2016 - to distribute more than 200,000 milkweed plugs!
We only ship plants to the ecoregion from which their seeds originated and we are contracting with native plant nurseries to increase our impact nationwide. Our plan is to have plugs available for most regions of the country.
For more information please visit http://monarchwatch.org/milkweed/market/
Other milkweed projects/partnerships in 2015:
- Monarch Watch worked with Applied Ecological Services and Monsanto to distribute over 40,000 milkweed plugs for restoration projects.
- Monarch Watch received two grants from the Monarch Joint Venture and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to start habitat restoration, working with Tribal nations in Oklahoma.
- Monarch Watch received support from the Natural Resources Defense Council which allowed us to distribute a flat of free milkweeds to nearly 300 schools.
Thank you to all of these partners that are helping us get milkweed into the ground!

---------------Conservation Specialists
--------------------

We added several Monarch Watch Conservation Specialists to our family this year and we just want to take a minute to thank them all for everything they do to support us in our mission. This is an outstanding group of people with substantial records of furthering monarch conservation. Without them Monarch Watch would not be able to accomplish all that we do, all across the U.S.
A thousand thank yous to Gail Morris, Joyce Pearsall, Candy Sarikonda, Ilse Gebhard, Kip Kiphart, Denise Gibbs, Ina Warren, Diane Pruden, Debbie Jackson, Ba Rea, Pat Miller, Trecia Neal, Susan Meyers, Cathy Downs, Nicole Hamilton, Brenda Dziedzic, Sarah Dalton, Nina Veteto, and Carol Clark for all of their hard work.
For more information about this group, please visit http://monarchwatch.org/cs/

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Monarch Waystations
-----------------

More than 2,800 monarch/pollinator habitats from 48 U.S. states (plus Washington, DC), six Canadian provinces, and one Mexican state were registered with Monarch Watch as Monarch Waystations in 2015. This brings the total number of habitats registered to 12,486!
For additional information about Monarch Waystations please visit http://monarchwatch.org/waystations/

-------------Monarch Waystation #1
-------------------

Our very own Monarch Waystation located near our lab and offices on KU’s West Campus continues to evolve and is an incredible demonstration garden. It is visited by thousands of people each year - many of them during our spring and fall open house events but also by groups and individuals throughout the year. It is a wonderful place to bring the kids, your camera, your lunch, or just your thoughts so if you have the opportunity to stop and check it out, please do!
Our garden space is maintained by Douglas County Extension Master Gardeners - without the ongoing support of these amazing volunteers, Monarch Waystation #1 wouldn’t be what it is today. Thank you EMGs for all of the time you spend working in our gardens and for your assistance at our Open House events!

--------------Our Director, Chip Taylor
------------------

In addition to his teaching duties as a KU Professor, Chip has been busy giving talks about the importance of monarch conservation. There have been many meetings as well (we’ll have lots to share with you in 2016). Destinations for talks and meetings have included: Washington, DC (3 times); Minneapolis, MN (3 times); Fort Collins, CO (2 times); Plains, GA; Ames, Grinnell, and Johnson, IA; Columbia, MO; Omaha, NE; and San Diego, CA as well as several talks closer to home in Kansas (Topeka, Manhattan, Hayes, and Lawrence).
Chip created Monarch Watch more than two decades ago and has been dedicated to the project ever since. We are all grateful for his hard work and continued support of the program as a champion of monarch and milkweed conservation. Thanks Chip!

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Our Students and Volunteers
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As many of you know, Monarch Watch is small program at its core but our reach is enormous. Without a veritable army to help support our efforts we couldn’t do all that we do.
Thank you to all of our students, interns, and volunteers that helped support Monarch Watch’s education, conservation, and research efforts in 2015, including: Laura, Meagan, Olivia, Keath, Bre, Kenzie, Jeff, Haley, Nathan, Tom, Travis, Sierra B., Sarah, Nick, Amelia, Sierra G., Diondre, Casey, Julie, Mijeong, Jackie, Toni, Dana, Nora, Kira, Braden, and the Douglas County EMGs.
And to the countless other individuals that offer their anonymous support in many ways (you know who you are) - thank you!
Finally, thank YOU for your continued interest in and support of Monarch Watch. We hope you’ve had a great year and here’s to a wonderful 2016!
>From your friends at Monarch Watch,
warm wishes for the holidays,
Chip, Jim, Ann, & Angie

--------------------About This Monarch Watch List
------------

Monarch Watch (http://monarchwatch.org) is a nonprofit education, conservation, and research program based at the University of Kansas that focuses on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its spectacular fall migration.
We rely on private contributions to support the program and we need your help! Please consider making a tax-deductible donation. Complete details are available at http://monarchwatch.org/donate or you can simply call 800-444-4201 (KU Endowment Association) for more information about giving to Monarch Watch.
If you have any questions about this email or any of our programs please feel free to contact us anytime.
Monarch Watch
http://monarchwatch.org
monarch@ku.edu
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