Senior leaders from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Defense today celebrated their collaborative conservation strategy benefiting the monarch butterfly. The butterfly, known for its iconic bright orange, black and white coloring, was proposed for listing as threatened under the Endangered Species Act Dec. 11, 2024. The proposal also included protective regulations and flexibilities to allow for conservation under section 4(d) of the ESA and critical habitat.
“With the announcement of the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly, this conservation partnership is a symbol of hope,” said Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “It demonstrates the dedication and determination of the Service’s conservation partners to work to promote healthy monarch populations. We are thankful to have DOD as a longtime and dedicated partner in monarch conservation. Collaborations such as this help us protect species and landscapes for the benefit of the American people.”
DOD has incorporated monarch butterfly conservation into its natural resource management for more than a decade. Its conservation work has culminated in the development of a DOD-wide conservation strategy for monarchs in collaboration with Service. DOD’s strategy will support installations in fulfilling their responsibilities under the ESA and leveraging their unique authorities to promote ecosystem resiliency across nearly 24 million acres. DOD’s longstanding commitment to natural resource conservation has resulted in significant contributions to monarchs and other at-risk pollinators.
“We are excited about the benefits this strategy will provide to both the iconic monarch butterfly, as well as the DOD’s mission,” said Ryan Orndorff, Director of Environmental Planning and Conservation for the Department of Defense. “The national scope of our strategy will provide for consistency of approach, help us focus our conservation efforts for greatest effect, and alleviate unnecessary and redundant regulatory processes. This approach demonstrates the benefits of working collaboratively with diverse partners on innovative approaches to support both the conservation of species and use of military lands for our national security mission. These are foundational principles of the Recovery and Sustainment Partnership between the DOD and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
The collaborative strategy for monarchs includes activities such as outreach and education, targeted conservation of monarch habitat on installations within overwintering, core breeding and the migratory range of the butterfly, and encourages creation and establishment of habitat across all military lands. The strategy also incorporates best management practices into Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans, supports research and monitoring, and ensures adherence to DOD’s pest-management plan.
Images available for media use at this Flickr album.
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The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit https://www.fws.gov. Connect with us on social media: Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Flickr, and YouTube.
