Last Lecture of the 2016 Season!

We all know how butterflies enliven a wildflower meadow, delight little kids with the magic of metamorphosis, and lift our spirits with their brilliant colors, but not so many folks are aware of the importance of butterflies and moths beyond their beauty and curious life cycles.

The Monarch butterfly is a well-known summer resident in North America, flying south in autumn to winter in spectacular roosts. Unfortunately, the monarch has suffered precipitous declines over the last two decades. Loss of a preferred food plant, native milkweed, is a significant factor in that decline.

Our last scheduled Heart of the Blues lecture of the season features Tom Landis, an expert on monarch butterflies and their habitats. Based in southern Oregon, Tom’s research on monarch restoration has taken him on speaking trips far and wide, including the Society of Ecological Restoration conference in England. Tom will share his insights on the natural history of the monarch, its importance in the ecological stability of the western hemisphere, and how local citizens can help bring back healthy populations of this beautiful native.

Join us Thursday, September 29 at 7 pm at Cook Memorial Library in La Grande, to learn about monarchs and milkweed and what you can do to help restore the species in Oregon.