# The MONARCH Act of 2021: Protecting Monarch Butterflies

The MONARCH Act is designed to help save monarch butterflies, which have seen their populations decline dramatically over the past few decades. The bill focuses on protecting and restoring the habitats these butterflies need to survive, particularly the milkweed plants that monarch caterpillars depend on for food. It also aims to create corridors of safe habitat that allow monarchs to migrate between their breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada and their wintering grounds in Mexico.

The bill works by encouraging landowners, farmers, and government agencies to work together on conservation efforts. It provides funding and technical support to help people plant milkweed and native wildflowers on their land, whether that's a backyard, farm, or public property. The act also promotes research to better understand what monarchs need to thrive and tracks how well these conservation efforts are working. Additionally, it coordinates efforts across state and federal agencies so that habitat protection happens in a organized way rather than in scattered, disconnected pieces.

For most people, the MONARCH Act won't directly change their daily lives, but it could affect farmers and landowners who participate in conservation programs, potentially offering them financial incentives to set aside land for monarch habitat. Gardeners and nature enthusiasts might also benefit from increased availability of native plants and information about how to create butterfly-friendly spaces. The broader impact is environmental—by protecting monarchs, the act helps maintain healthy ecosystems since these butterflies play an important role in pollinating plants and serving as food for birds and other wildlife.

MONARCH Act of 2021

Merkley, Jeff

Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act of 2021 or the MONARCH Act of 2021 This bill provides support for the conservation of western monarch butterflies (the monarch butterfly population that overwinters along the coast of California and breeds across California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah). Specifically, the bill establishes the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund. The Department of the Interior must use amounts in the fund to provide grants for the conservation of such butterflies. In addition, Interior must enter into an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to facilitate the implementation of the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, which was prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.