United States
£ GBP
Not long ago, monarchs numbered in the billions, but in the last 20 years their population has dropped by 90%, due to habitat loss from pesticides, farming practices, development and other human activity. An estimated one million acres of habitat are lost each year.
But today, an army of citizen-scientists, students and gardeners is engaged in restoring this beloved pollinator's habitat – the wildflowers and milkweed and feeding corridors – so that one of nature's most beautiful creatures will still be there for generations to come. And it starts in our own backyards.
The Monarch showcases this magnificent butterfly with eye-popping photos, fun facts about a monarch's life cycle, and things to know about the vital role that pollinators play in our ecosystem. Monarch expert and nature blogger Kylee Baumle provides "action" projects for all ages, from planting milkweed and wildflowers to making butterfly watering stations…to volunteer activism.
Kylee Baumle is a citizen scientist who participates in several programs that provide data to scientists studying monarchs (through MonarchWatch with the University of Kansas, and JourneyNorth, which reports migration sightings and roosts). Her rural Ohio garden is a Certified Monarch Waystation, a Certified Wildlife Habitat and a registered garden with the Pollinator Partnership. She writes a regular column for Ohio Gardener and has written feature articles for Horticulture, American Gardener, Indiana Gardener State-by-State Gardening magazines. Her nature and garden photography has been widely published. Kylee blogs about her love for butterflies and all things "nature" at Our Little Acre. The author resides in Northwest, Ohio.
"Kylee's enthusiasm for monarchs flies off the pages of this fascinating book. Her explanations, photographs and illustrations will inspire both young and old to do all they can to provide a rich and nourishing habitat that will help monarchs thrive."
– Diane Blazek, Executive Director, National Garden Bureau
"Kylee not only shares her knowledge and passion about monarchs, but inspires us to join forces to preserve this important pollinator. She offers practical advice on how each person can make a difference to save this and other pollinators critical to our food supply and natural beauty."
– Melinda Myers, horticulturist, garden book author, radio and TV host of Melinda's Garden Moments
"Kylee Baumle's passion for the monarch butterfly has inspired me to pay closer attention to making my own garden – and those of my clients – a haven for this gorgeous creature. Her valuable information, stunning photographs and stirring prose will inspire you to do the same."
– Jenny Peterson, landscape designer and author of The Cancer Survivor's Garden Companion
"The Monarch is a riveting tale of biology and conservation. The intricacies of the butterfly's life history, migration and overwintering biology are engagingly narrated and beautifully illustrated. Kylee Baumle's lovely new book will appeal widely to schools, conservation folks, general readers and to the gamut of people interested in submerging themselves in what she richly paints as a noble cause, saving our most-loved butterfly."
– Lincoln P. Brower, Research Professor of Biology, Sweet Briar College
"Kylee Baumle is more passionate about monarchs (and saving them) than anyone I know. How fortunate we are that she's now sharing her years of study and monarch-saving wisdom from the trenches with all of us. I can't imagine a better person to write this book!"
– Joe Lamp'l, Producer and Host of the PBS series Growing a Greener World
