Using a different approach to learning is helping out Monarch Butterflies.
Students in a Flora of Northern Ontario Biology course at Nipissing University have been doing hands on work by planting Milkweeds at the Marsh Drive dump site in hopes of boosting the Monarch Butterfly population.
“The (Monarch) populations are declining and they are extremely vulnerable and part of the reason they are vulnerable because they have this very specific dependance on this one plant, the milkweed,” said course instructor Dr. Peter Nosko.
Monarch butterflies only lay their eggs on milkweed, and caterpillars eat milkweed exclusively.
The university as part of it’s Community Service Learning initiative, have teamed up with the Nipissing Naturalists and the City of North Bay to make this happen by transplanting milkweeds to a city owned dump site.
With Monarch larvae sited at the location, students know their hard work is paying off.
“I really enjoyed it and it’s nice to get the different approach to learning whereas normally you are reading textbooks and lectures whereas we actually got to go out and help the community put our knowledge to use and feel like we are really helping out,” said Flora student Allyson Kroeker.
The program will continue in a Nipissing greenhouse where they will continue to grow and transplant more milkweeds next spring.
Noska believes the sky is the limit for this unique program.
“We intend on the indefinite future to follow up on this, and once we’ve got everything under control at the present location we may expand into other areas,” said Noska.
