"Cerro Pelón" Sanctuary I — Symbolic Monarch Migration

SCHOOL VISIT

Monarch butterflies overwinter at different altitudes in our region between the three Sanctuaries. The first two largest colonies are located at an average of three thousand meters, however a portion of the whole migration, form the third colony at one thousand meters lower in elevation in a warmer, also beautiful and pristine forest called “Cerro Pelón” located south from the two other Sanctuaries. Our lesson on trees this season, at visiting students here, was enriched by their more abundant variety of flora and fauna in this location. Due to the current circumstances of the pandemic, as in most schools, teachers come most schools once a week to check on students’ progress in their lessons, to clear questions and to explain the lessons to be done for the following week. Children in this small village, as in most villages around the Monarch Sanctuaries, do not have internet access, for which a computer or tablet at home would be really rare to see, except for a smart phone to make phone calls and write messages for every day communication for families. None of this limitations shall diminish children’s smile in their faces. Children were impatiently awaiting at school for the Symbolic Migration to arrive, wearing their mouth covers and waiting to see it arrive!. The Symbolic Migration announced the theme of the season as “The Importance of Trees in the Monarch Butterflies Natural Reserve and for our local Ecosystem”. Being these children’s ages ranging from 6 to 8 years old, attending 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grades, they were briefly reminded about Monarchs coming to overwinter in our forests in Central México as special natural spots with special conditions for them to stay here during the winter. Children could learn and discuss on the many benefits of trees in the three main overwintering spots for Monarchs, including their local forest lower in altitude than in the other two Sanctuaries; their own parents in the classroom showed their expertise on the topic proud to share it with Estela and their own children!. Nine moms and one dad were attending the lesson today. Moms helped their children go over the names of trees in their own forest; “we have three more trees than these in the slides at the other two Sanctuaries: we have Alamo, Mamuyo and Trompillo, --mothers enriched their children’s participation enthusiastically--. “Trees give us oxygen, water, shade, wood for our stoves for moms to cook at home, and our homes look more beautiful if we have trees around, and, besides, Monarchs love our trees in the forest!”, --the little students assured, participating most of them at a time--” Can it be true that Oyamel tree is the favorite for Monarchs, because it keeps them warm, due to their microclimate conditions in it and in the rest of the forest?”, --parents asked Estela as they could just not believe it--! They got a brief idea through images, that a tree decomposing in the forest is just great vitamins to the forest itself! They enjoyed very much filling in their letters of response to their northern friends assisted by their moms, and wondered excited: “do our friends in the north have similar trees in their forest to ours?. Do they see Monarchs roosting but also Monarchs’ breeding as we see here? receiving their Ambassador Monarchs meant to them great excitement, not believing that Ambassador monarchs also flew similar distances than real Monarchs now starting to roost in their forests!

AMBASSADOR MONARCHS RECEIVED HERE

Lakeville Elementary School, Oxford, Michigan