Marin Monarch Working Group
Western monarch butterflies used to be a common sight in Marin and elsewhere throughout California. But the Western monarch population in the US has declined by more than 95% since the 1990s.
Data from the Western Monarch Count (SMC) confirms this ongoing trend toward extinction.
Approximately 12,260 monarchs were recorded in the 2025-2026 WMC, the third-lowest tally since the count began in 1997.
Causes of this decline include climate change, habitat loss, natural predators, and pesticide use.
It’s not too late to act…but the time to act is now!
Who We Are
The Marin Monarch Working Group was established in 2019 to address the existential crisis facing the western monarch, one of California’s most iconic creatures. We call on educators, biologists and botanists, gardeners and monarch lovers to join us and learn how to become involved in supporting the survival of the Western monarch butterfly.
Public Education and Advocacy
We disseminate science-based information about monarchs via our newsletter, website, social media, on-line meetings, and tabling at local events. We guide local residents’ outreach to local and state officials about policies and practices for helping monarchs.
Community Science
Community science draws upon data collected by community members trained to observe and create a record of their observations. We connect local monarch lovers with training and monitoring opportunities led by MMWG co-founder, Mia Monroe.
Habitat Restoration
We take on projects to create and restore monarch habitats in private and public spaces. And we work with other groups engaging in this important work.
Monarch News
Check out the November MMWG newsletter to find out about some interesting local events coming up soon… films, field trips, monarch tracking, and a trip to the overwintering sites in Bolinas. Click on Newsletter Archive to find it.
Three Things You Can Do Now to Help the Monarchs
First way to help: Create the right habitat for monarchs
In almost any yard space — large or small — you can create an oasis for monarchs as they migrate east in the summer and return to the coast in the fall. The Home Gardens section of this website gives guidance on all aspects of designing a garden. You can also participate in a community garden project. There are lots of local groups working on habitat restoration projects. Go to the Resources section to learn about opportunities in Marin.
One important point to keep in mind as you work on a garden: Be sure to avoid pesticides!! Pesticide use is another serious threat to monarch survival.
Check out these handouts for some ideas on how to get started.
Backyard Garden Plants for Inland areas. This guide provides information about 16 nectar-rich plants whose flowers bloom from early spring through fall.
Example of a Butterfly Waystation and Pollinator Garden. This handout will show you how to design a garden for butterflies migrating through the county. You’ll see 12 plants that they really like, along with information about growing native milkweed from seed.
Help Monarch Butterflies in Coastal Marin by Planting Fall and Winter Blooming California Native Nectar Plants. If you live within a mile of the coast, the planting routines are different than those appropriate for inland residents. In the winter, monarchs are in a period of diapause. That is, they are resting and are not supposed to be reproducing. So they only need nectar plants that bloom in late fall, winter, and early spring. And they do NOT need milkweed, because they are not supposed to bringing caterpillars into the world until they migrate inland during the spring.
Second way to help: Participate in the 30th annual Western Monarch Count
Helping the monarchs depends on having good information about where they are in the county and what they are doing. Effective policy recommendations rely on data collected by community members trained to observe the monarchs and create a record of their observations.
The Western Monarch Count (WMC) occurs at three times during the fall and winter. In 2026, the early-season count extends from October 17 to November 1. The mid-season count begins on November 14 and ends on December 6, and the late-season count goes from December 26, 2026 to January 10, 2027.
The WMC is geared for participants who can commit a minimum of 12 to 15 hours in row fall and/or winter. Volunteers must be able to do the following: attend virtual and in-person field training, provide personal transportation to the sites, follow survey protocol, navigate uneven outdoor terrain, and submit data electronically using a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
Interested? Sign up for the on-line training offered by the Xerces Society: https://westernmonarchcount.org/volunteer/
When you have completed the training, your name will be sent to Mia Monroe, coordinator of the Count. She will add you to a team if support is needed.
If you can’t commit to the training, you can also make a visit on your own to see monarchs and/or volunteers in action. The MMWG will lead a visit to monarch overwintering sites in Bolinas on Saturday November 14. Check out the November 2026 Newsletter for details and to RSVP.
To prepare for your visit, check out this information from Xerces: https://xerces.org/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-visiting-overwintering-monarchs.
Third Way to Help: Advocate for Government Protection of the Monarchs
The Western monarch population has declined by more than 95% since the 1990s. And yet, the US government has not taken action to protect the monarch.
In December of 2024, the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
However, the Trump administration failed to finalize this protection, prompting a lawsuit filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and Center for Food Safety. In September of 2026, the two conservation groups, along with the USFWS, and the US Department of the Interior, signed an agreement to delay a final listing for monarch butterflies until June 6, 2030. This delay is very disappointing given the perilous condition of the western monarch.
Monarch habitat restoration on Mt. Burdell in Novato
The welfare of the monarch is further affected by a recent proposal from the Trump administration to weaken the existing ESA.
The existing law prohibits not just injuring or killing wildlife but also destroying their habitat.
The Trump administration has proposed to rescind the aspect of the law pertaining to habitat destruction, paving the way for drilling, mining, and other activities in protected wildlife habitats as well as undermining efforts to restore habitat in open spaces.
Bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to stop the government from rescinding to “harm” provision of the ESA. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Quigley of Illinois have introduced the bipartisan Safeguarding Endangered Species Act (H.R. 9901). This bill would preserve longstanding protections against habitat destruction that kills or injures imperiled wildlife.
In the Senate, Senators Adam Schiff of California and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island have introduced S.J. Res. 204, a Congressional Review Act resolution that would also stop the new ruling.
You can speak out against this fatal weakening of the ESA law by contacting your local House and Senate members urging them to support H.R. 9901 and S.J. Res. 204, respectively.
Another legislative effort at the state level would Representative Dawn Addis introduced AB 2254, the Coastal Monarchs Protection Act. This bill requires coastal communities with known monarch butterfly winter habitat to create policies to protect this iconic and important species. However, the bill did not pass out off the appropriations committee in time to be acted upon this year.
JOIN US! Sign up below for our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter. You’ll find information concerning upcoming local events, including habitat restoration projects, citizen science activities, and advocacy opportunities…as well as an invitation to join our monthly on-line meeting featuring news updates and special speakers.
WE WELCOME DONATIONS TO SUPPORT OUR WORK. The MMWG is a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization and your donations are tax deductible. Our EIN number is 41-4705785.
Donated funds are used to cover purchases like plants for restoration projects and materials for the production of our handouts.
To contribute, send a check made out to the Marin Monarch Working Group to PO Box 242, Inverness CA 94937.
Or click on the Donate button below.