13 Sep Monarchs and More!

Hi everyone, my name is Johanna Rivera and I am a Research & Education Intern for Monarch Joint Venture and Pollinator Posse through Environment for the Americas. With Monarch Joint Venture, part of my role is to support western monarch conservation by monitoring pollinator habitat throughout Northern California, therefore I have various work sites which makes my internship even more fun and dynamic. Many of the pollinator habitats I survey are located on gorgeous vineyards in wine country. These vineyards pride themselves in being part of the Monarchs & More Western Habitat Program and creating self-sustaining native habitat for the endangered monarch and other pollinators. All vineyards are different, from the relaxing scents of lavender gardens to ‘farm-to-table’ veggie farms. The surveys I conduct require wildflower, milkweed and monarch identification. I’m really enjoying expanding my skills on insect and native plant ID, every site has a variation in both.

Our Pollinator Posse work sites range from city gardens, heritage centers, golf courses to urban historical parks. We provide presentations on the importance of pollinators to a wide range of audience, from elementary school kids to seniors in local community-based clubs. We also engage folks to learn about pollinators through hands on arts and crafts, garden art festivals and dispersing native wildflower seeds through a Tees for Bees activity at golf courses. Stay tuned for an update on more pollinator conservation activities!