Lakefield College School Joins Forces with Monarch Ultra Project to Save Monarch Butterflies

At Lakefield College School, the spirit of environmental responsibility runs deep within the community's values. Committed to fostering a deeper understanding of the natural world and the critical role of pollinators, LCS students, faculty, and staff have been actively engaged in various initiatives that underscore the significance of these tiny yet powerful creatures.

Pollinators, including bees, wasps, and butterflies, play an important role in the ecosystem by facilitating the transfer of pollen between flowers, which is vital for the production of fruits and seeds. 

In recent years, LCS has become involved in a range of projects designed to preserve and protect pollinator insects. One notable project is the David Suzuki Foundation Butterfly Way Project. Additionally, LCS achieved certification as a Monarch Way Station through the Monarch Watch organization, signifying our commitment to creating a welcoming habitat for monarch butterflies.

In an effort to spread the message of pollinator conservation far and wide, LCS students distributed over 2,000 packages of wildflower seeds throughout Lakefield and Peterborough last spring, creating beautiful, pollinator-friendly landscapes in the process. Our Grade 10 students also devoted a day during their May Intersession to plant wildflower and milkweed seeds, a vital food source for monarch caterpillars.

One remarkable aspect of monarch butterflies is their epic migration journey, covering 4,300 kilometres to reach the Sierra Madre mountain region of Mexico. It is here that LCS's partnership with the Monarch Ultra Project comes into play. This collaborative effort aims to promote biodiversity conservation, protect pollinators, and raise funds for the preservation of monarch butterfly sanctuaries in Mexico.

In an exciting development, LCS was invited to be a part of the 2023 MoMa Hope Statue Tour—2023, a Rotary International project commissioned by the Rotary Club Monterrey, Mexico. The tour spans Canada, the USA, and Mexico over four months, all in the name of raising awareness about the decline in butterfly populations. The statue representing hope for the monarch butterflies is currently on display in the LCS library.

To further amplify their impact, we are encouraging all students to get involved. They can join the school team and participate in a 10-kilometre run, or choose to attend and volunteer at the festival that will follow the run.