​Mapping Milkweeds for Monarchs in Georgia

​The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is working with Connect to Protect partners and residents all around the state to map milkweed populations throughout Georgia and we need your help!
 
We are looking to collect data on native and planted milkweed populations throughout Georgia to aid the protection of monarch butterflies.  The collected data through this project will assist the State Botanical Garden’s creation of maps identifying key conservation communities to support these important pollinators. The collected data will also assist us in tracking the numbers of planted milkweed in gardens and in natural settings. Georgia needs thousands of milkweed stems on the land.
 
Volunteers should be good stewards of the land and ambassadors of nature, treading lightly and bringing no harm to the land, plants, and wildlife encountered in the forests. Teams should work in groups of two-to-four people. Larger groups can disrupt wildlife and single-person exploration is discouraged for safety concerns.
 
How to Participate:
1. Go to https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/mapping-milkweed-for-monarchs-in-georgia, sign up, and join the Mapping Milkweed for Monarchs in Georgia group. You can also search the project name “Mapping Milkweed for Monarchs in Georgia” under iNat projects and sign up there to join.
2.  Be sure to read the “ABOUT” tab for information on safety and protocols.
3.  Download the iNaturalist and the SEEK apps to your phone. These will allow you to instantaneously become amateur botanists. Just take clear photos of a plant and the apps will help you identify the species.
4.   Have fun while learning about Georgia’s native milkweeds!
 
Special Request: To protect wild milkweed populations from unwanted relocation, please hide or obscure the coordinates of any natural milkweed populations that you observe.

Learning Resources:
Step by step guide on how to use iNaturalist
How to stay safe on roadside observations
Field Guide to Georgia’s Milkweeds
Monarch Butterflies & Georgia’s Gardeners
US Fish & Wildlife Service Monarchs  
For information about the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s 2020 decision on listing the monarch butterfly under the Endangered Species Act, visit Monarch Joint Venture.
For ethical sources of milkweeds for planting, check out this list of native plant nurseries.