— Programs
Explore our monarch conservation initiatives.
OKLAHOMA MONARCH & POLLINATOR COLLABORATIVE (OMPC)
The OMPC was formed by attendees of the Oklahoma Monarch Summit in November 2016 to collaboratively develop and implement a Statewide Monarch Conservation Action Plan.
MISSION
To educate, engage, and support Oklahomans in the protection and enhancement of suitable habitat and nectar sources for monarchs and other pollinators throughout Oklahoma.
VISION
Oklahomans working together to ensure our landscapes and gardens support thriving Monarch migrations for generations to come.
GOAL
Collaboratively develop and implement a Statewide Monarch Conservation Action Plan.
MEMBERS
STEERING COMMITTEE
- Patrick Bell, Former President of the Oklahoma Native Plant Society
- Katie Boyer, At-Risk Species Coordinator – TX & OK, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- Bill Farris, Owner, Prairie Wind Nursery
- Vonceil Harmon, Natural Resources Lead, Oklahoma Department of Transportation
- Marci Hawkins, Monarch Watch Specialist
- Wayne Isaacs, Environmental Specialist III, Cherokee Nation
- Stephanie Jordan, Pollinator Educator
- Ric Kotarsky, Curator of Wildlife Conservation & Scientific Advancement, Tulsa Zoo
- Aaron Morvan, Director of Communications, The Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma
- Marla Peek, Senior Director of Regulatory Affairs, Oklahoma Farm Bureau
- David Redhage, President, Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture
- Dr. Rebecca Snyder, Senior Director of Conservation, Education, and Science, Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden
- Josh White, Digital Media & Content Manager, The Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma
STATEWIDE MONARCH CONSERVATION ACTION PLAN
Via the Statewide Monarch Conservation Plan, the OMPC aims to engage a multitude of Oklahomans and encourage action on various land types in the following ways:
Government
- Maintain and increase diverse nectar plants and milkweed on state and federal conservation lands through management and restoration.
- Engage 25+ municipalities to: identify existing habitat and high priority geographic areas for enhancement and restoration; identify and address policy and cultural barriers; adopt Mayor’s Monarch Pledge.
Businesses & Non-Profits
- Encourage businesses & non-profits to take a pledge, build a garden, register their garden and/or other monarch initiatives.
Education & Youth Groups
- Encourage schools and youth groups to participate in pollinator initiatives by establishing school habitats and incorporating monarch curriculum into the classroom.
Agriculture & Rangelands
- Engage farmers, ranchers, and other ag specialists in cropland and rangeland working groups to identify agricultural land types most compatible with monarch conservation.
- Develop best management toolkits and offer training to interested ag/ranch land managers.
Residents
- Encourage residents to take a pledge, build a garden, register their garden, and visit public gardens and monarch-inspired projects.
- Work with landowners and utility managers to establish monarch-friendly right-of-way land management practices.
Tribes
- Partner with native tribes to increase milkweed habitat on the over one million trust and restricted acres of tribal lands in Oklahoma.
To support action across different land types and with various audiences, the Action Plan also includes supporting goals focused on seed production, research, communications and partnerships. Example goals include:
Seed and Plant Production
- Create lists of the plant species needed in each region of the state and distribute to audiences.
- Disseminate plant lists to native seed/plant producers with request to increase locally-sourced milkweed and nectar plant seed production.
Research
- Maintain and update the research needs list in the OMPC Statewide Plan.
Communications and Outreach
- Develop web site to support the plan goals: include online pledge, action tool kits, calendar, map, registration forms, and social media outreach.
- Identify core target audiences and develop messaging for each.
Partnerships
- Maintain and build list of implementation partners for the plan.
OKIES FOR MONARCHS
Okies for Monarchs is an education and outreach initiative designed to raise awareness about monarch butterflies and increase monarch habitat in Oklahoma.
Launched in 2018 by the OMPC, the campaign is one of numerous objectives outlined in the Statewide Monarch Conservation Action Plan.
Okies for Monarchs has hosted numerous community engagement activities over the past 6 years throughout the state including monarch meetups, seed swaps, gardening workshops, presentations, youth engagement, and plant sales.
On the Okies for Monarchs web site, you’ll find ample resources to help save the monarchs: from how to identify a monarch to what to plant and where to buy.
