Income through conservation: Training farmers to produce plant materials for specialist butterflies.

Progress report for ONC23-128

Project Type: Partnership
Funds awarded in 2023: $48,416.00
Projected End Date: 03/31/2025
Host Institution Award ID: H010694415
Grant Recipient: Michigan State University
Region: North Central
State: Michigan
Project Coordinator:
Meghan Milbrath
Michigan State University
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Project Information

Summary:

Pollinators across the region are in decline. Of particular concern are specialist butterflies, whose habitat is shrinking due to the loss of the specific native plants on which they depend. Michigan is home to two endangered butterfly rearing programs, but habitat restoration efforts are limited by the availability of affordable plant materials. While many small-scale farmers have land that could grow the needed native plants, they lack training in native plant cultivation. This project outlines a training program for vegetable farmers and native plant producers and increases connections between them and the conservation community.  

We will partner with butterfly conservationists and native plant experts to identify needs and sources for stock materials and to develop a training program on the cultivation and harvesting of these materials. This program will include webinars, handouts, and field days. We will also create an online education module for the public and point of sale materials explaining the importance of specialist butterfly host plants and will create supply chains through leveraging connections with conservation partners.  

 This program uniquely addresses a key sustainability concern around the loss of pollinators and provides local farmers an additional income stream and a sustainable use for their land.  

Project Objectives:

The goal of this project is to increase the habitat for native specialist butterflies in Michigan by working with farmers to grow native plants. We will do this through the following objectives: 

  1. Improve access to stock of specialist native plants for growers through purchasing and distribution.  
  1. Train farmers to grow and harvest native plants. This training will take the form of field days, webinars, and published case studies.  
  1. Increase planting of specialist plants through online education, point of sale materials, and connections with conservation partners.  

Cooperators

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  • Cheyenne Sloan (Educator)

Research

Participation Summary

Educational & Outreach Activities

2 Workshop field days

Participation Summary:

40 Farmers participated
10 Ag professionals participated
Education/outreach description:

In 2023 we hosted two training field days in August.  The first was targeted towards educators and technicians around the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).  We had 26 participants who learned about Key pollinators in Michigan, how to identify pollinator plants, the rare butterflies in MI, and planting for pollinators. Speakers were from Michigan State University, the Kellogg Biological Station, Project Wingspan, and Michigan Natural Features Inventory.  The day was a combination of field work, hands-on plant ID, and a field trip to visit sites that were planted into pollinator habitat. 

People in a field
Technicians for the CREP program visit a prairie strip at MSU Kellogg Biological Station.

The second field day was targeted towards growers and held at MSU's Trevor Nichols Research Station in Fennville, MI in collaboration with Project Wingspan.  Growers were given case studies on pollinator plantings, data on how native plants can support native pollinators, and pollinator biology.  

Person at podium with screen in back
Butterfly researcher David Pavlik gives a lecture on rare butterflies in Michigan

 

 

Learning Outcomes

40 Farmers reported changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and/or awareness as a result of their participation
Key changes:
  • Learning key pollinators in Michigan

  • Learning needs of pollinators in Michigan

  • Identifying important plants for pollinators

  • Learning MI Strips program

  • Identifying rare butterflies in pollinators

Project Outcomes

1 New working collaboration
Project outcomes:

We developed a directory of native plant producers in Michigan.  This page is a compilation of producers selling native plants so we can direct consumers and landscapers to buy MI grown native plants: Michigan plant producers - Northern Bee Network

map with points

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.