The annual migration of monarch butterflies is among nature’s most remarkable wonders. Every year, countless orange and black monarchs travel over several generations from Canada and the United States to their wintering sites in Mexico. Along the way, the Texas Hill Country offers vital habitat during both autumn and spring migrations. Unfortunately, monarch numbers have dropped sharply in recent decades due mainly to habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and especially the destruction of milkweed, the only food source for monarch caterpillars.
On Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friends of Fredericksburg Nature Center will host a training program titled “Migration, Monitoring, and Milkweed - A Monarch Conservation Workshop” at the AgriLife Extension Building, 38 Business Court, Fredericksburg. This event aims to empower participants with knowledge and practical tools for monarch conservation. Participants will learn how to track monarchs, how to monitor and report data, what plants to grow to support the butterflies during their migration, and how to propagate and grow milkweed.
Presenters include Carla Stang, Sarah Hilburn, Barb Jansen, Maura Windlinger, and Gracie Waggener—all experienced Texas Master Naturalists who have been involved for many years in monarch research, tagging, and milkweed propagation. At the end of the workshop, attendees will leave with hands-on skills for use at home or in their communities, plus resources and information to join ongoing monitoring projects or start one themselves.
