Urban Pollinator Conservation
Monarchs and Other Pollinators
Monarch butterflies are instantly recognizable for their striking orange-and-black wings and their impressive migratory journey between Canada and Mexico. They are one of many pollinators integral to the ecosystems that sustain our lives. Yet monarchs and other pollinators are in trouble: monarchs have been proposed for federal listing as a threatened species, and many pollinator populations are in critical decline.
People in cities like Chicago play a critical role in providing habitat for many pollinating species. Urban neighborhoods can form a patchwork of habitat composed of parks and nature preserves, as well as gardens on rooftops, balconies, vacant lots, and in backyards.
The Keller Science Action Center is committed to this work, partnering with communities and conducting research to help monarchs and the broader pollinator community thrive.
Help Monarchs at Home
Turn any green space into a pollinator stopover. Most milkweeds grow well in containers on a balcony or in a shared outdoor space like patios or front walks. Choose Midwest natives that bloom from early spring through late fall so pollinators have food at every life stage. Every milkweed stem makes a difference.
Pollinators in your Community
Whether through gardening practices, remembering ancestors, or telling the stories of our histories, monarch and other pollinators can be representative of our identities, connections to family, connections to the past and connections to each other that are just as vital as their presence in our ecosystems.
Science powered by community
Neighbors, gardeners, and students across Chicago help the Field Museum’s scientists collect data on monarchs and other pollinators. Explore our projects and consider joining a future survey or training. Your observations will move our research forward.
More Information
Monarch Conservation
