certified butterfly garden

The purpose of this student-led project was to create a habitat for pollinators that would provide food in the form of nectar and pollen, nesting areas, and safe places to lay eggs. The butterfly garden provided an opportunity for students to not only observe the entire life cycle of both native plants and pollinators but also observe the interactions between the two. Students worked in teams to select plants that would support native butterflies and other pollinators, design the layout of the garden, and plant, mulch, and care for the garden. Students even collected seeds from nearby native plants to grow in the garden.

Certified Butterfly Garden Project Overview

Project: Certified Butterfly Garden

Location: Marion C. Moore School, 6415 Outer Loop, Louisville, KY 40228

Budget: Dependent upon grants, donations, crowdfunding, and fundraising events

Participants: Students in the Middle and High School Environmental Science Programs and the Environmental Club

Overview

This student-led project was envisioned to create a habitat for pollinators that would meet all of their needs, from food in the form of nectar and pollen to nesting areas to safe places to lay eggs. The butterfly garden was designed to meet the needs of butterflies at all stages of life by providing multiple types of food, nectar-producing plants, and milkweed for monarchs specifically. Students chose to use only native plants and opted to not use any pesticides or herbicides. Students worked in teams to select plants that would support native butterflies and other pollinators, design the layout of the garden, and plant, mulch, and care for the garden. Students even collected seeds from nearby native plants to grow in the garden.

The butterfly garden provided an opportunity for students to not only observe the entire life cycle of both native plants and pollinators but also observe the interactions between the two. Students participated in Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-based lessons about ecosystem interactions, the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and the flow of energy, and human impacts on the environment. Students developed conservation solutions to environmental and biodiversity problems that they identified, including removal of invasive species, collection of seeds from native plants, planting only native species, choosing to use methods such as composting, mulching, and hand-weeding rather than using chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides, and rearing monarch butterflies to release into the wild.

A bee visits a plant to feed on nectar

A monarch carterpillar feeds on milkweed

A bumble bee feeds on nectar

Partnerships with local businesses led to generous donations of plants, tools, and other landscaping supplies. Dropseed Nursery provided native plants and Ken-Mulch provided multiple kinds of mulch, soil, and gravel for this and other projects.

Certification

Students chose to certify the butterfly garden to ensure that it would meet the needs of butterflies and other pollinators. The space was recognized as a Certified Butterfly Garden through the North American Butterfly Association. In order to receive this certification, the garden had to meet specific requirements of containing native caterpillar food plants and native butterfly nectar sources, and the use of pesticides is discouraged. The space was also recognized as a Certified Monarch Garden through the North American Butterfly Association and a Monarch Watch Certified Monarch Waystation. In order to receive these certifications, the garden had to meet requirements specific to the needs of monarch butterflies including shelter to support monarchs through all life stages, milkweed plants to support monarchs during the breeding season and to feed caterpillars, and nectar plants to feed butterflies.

Certified Butterfly Garden

North American Butterfly Association

Meets the following requirements:

At least three different native caterpillar food plants must be grown, preferably more than one plant of each selected species. NABA encourages the use of plant species native to your area, but does not require it.
At least three different native butterfly nectar sources must be grown, preferably more than one plant of each selected species. NABA encourages the use of plant species native to your area, but does not require it.
The use of pesticides is discouraged. Pesticides can kill butterflies as well as other important pollinators.

Certified Monarch Garden & Waystation

North American Butterfly Association

Monarch Watch Certified Waystation

Meets the following requirements:

Shelter. To assure that the maximum number of monarchs survive in your habitat, the plants should be relatively close together. However, they should not be crowded – be sure to follow the planting guides specific to each plant. All monarch life stages need shelter from predators and the elements. Planting milkweeds and nectar plants close together contributes to this shelter for monarchs and other wildlife.
Milkweed Plants. To maximize the use of your habitat by monarchs, we recommend that you have at least 10 milkweed plants, made up of two or more species; however, a large number of plants (more than 10) of one species is sufficient. Milkweeds of different species mature and flower at different times during the season. By increasing the number of milkweed species in your habitat you will increase the likelihood that monarchs will utilize your property for a longer period during the breeding season.
Nectar Plants. Monarchs, other butterflies, and numerous pollinators need nectar. By providing nectar sources that bloom sequentially or continuously during the season (as many butterfly plants do) your Monarch Waystation can provide resources for monarchs throughout the breeding season and the migration in the fall. A Monarch Waystation should contain several annual, biennial, or perennial plants that provide nectar for butterflies.

Garden-Certification-and-Order-Form-2021_.pdf

waystation_application.pdf

Community Science Projects

Monarch Watch Monarch Rearing Project - Students practice conservation of a threatened (now endangered) species by rearing monarchs. Students care for monarch larvae, observe them as they pupate, watch them emerge as adult butterflies, and tag and release them into the wild
Monarch Watch Tagging Program - Students tag Monarch butterflies and collect data on their migration to share with an international database
Student-led community science projects

Conservation Projects

Seed collection - Students practice native plant conservation by learning how to collect, dry, and cold stratify seeds before germinating and planting
Biodiversity surveys - Students conduct surveys to measure species richness and diversity of flora and fauna in the butterfly garden, collect, analyze, and communicate data
Botanical surveys - Students conduct botanical surveys to list the native, nonnative, and invasive plant species in the area before and after the butterfly garden was planted, collect, analyze, and communicate data

Results

The Certified Butterfly Garden was a success, attracting a wide variety of native pollinators including bees, beetles, ants, and of course, butterflies. Monarch butterfly caterpillars were discovered munching on milkweed plants in the garden and they went on to pupate and transform into monarch butterflies.

This project was important because it was a long-term, student-led project that not only provided opportunities to learn NGSS standards but more importantly, the opportunity to become real scientists and conservationists. Students identified problems, developed solutions, collected, analyzed, and shared data, and communicated the results of their work. They worked in small groups, classroom teams, and mixed-age groups after school, developed partnerships with local organizations and businesses, and collaborated with other community scientists from around the country and the world. Finally, students worked hard to create something that they were proud of. They made a difference and were empowered to be change-makers.

Middle School Next Generation Science Standards

MS-LS1-4 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

MS-LS1-4. Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

MS-LS1-6 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

MS-LS1-6. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms.

MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

MS-LS2-3. Develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

MS-LS2-5. Evaluate competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.

MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity

Students who demonstrate understanding can: MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

High School Next Generation Science Standards

HS-LS1-5 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

HS-LS1-5. Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.

HS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

HS-LS2-1. Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.

HS-LS2-3. Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

HS-LS2-4. Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

HS-LS2-5. Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.

HS-LS2-6. Evaluate claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

HS-LS2-8. Evaluate evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce.

HS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity

Students who demonstrate understanding can:

HS-ESS3-3. Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among the management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

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