Monarch Grove Sanctuary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Monarch Grove Sanctuary | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 A monarch butterfly at the sanctuary | |
   | |
| Location | 250 Ridge Rd, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 |
| Coordinates | 36°37′35″N 121°55′51″W / 36.6264°N 121.9307°W / 36.6264; -121.9307 |
| Area | 2.696 acres (1.091 ha)[1] |
| Established | 1992 |
| Governing body | City of Pacific Grove |
The Monarch Grove Sanctuary is an urban nature preserve in Pacific Grove, California. It protects the monarch butterflies that overwinter each year in Pacific Grove after migrating there and arriving in October. A volunteer crew maintains the sanctuary.[2] About 12–16,000 butterflies stayed at the sanctuary during the 2022-23 winter, making it the fourth largest of its type in California.[3]
Del Monte Hotel Management first owned the land on which the sanctuary exists. It was then purchased by a local woman named Edna Dively to operate the Butterfly Grove Inn, which is still in operation. When plans for land development were made, local nature group leaders, led by Ro Vaccaro, stepped up to stop it from happening. Pacific Grove's citizens voted to create a tax to establish the sanctuary, in 1990, as a part of Measure G, City of Pacific Grove Butterfly Habitat and Bond Measure.[2]
The city was able to collaborate with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to go through with the purchase of the land, finalizing the acquisition in 1992.[4] However, the construction of a motel among the butterfly trees to accommodate visitors destroyed a famous monarch overwintering site before or during 1993.[5]
In 2004, a branch above the parking lot fell on Anne Dickinson Thomas, killing her. Her family sued for wrongful death against the city in 2006.[1]
On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species and would designate the butterfly's critical habitat per the provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The proposed rule designated seven areas near California's Pacific coast as "critical habitat units" for monarch butterflies.[6] The Pacific Grove Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is within one of these units.[7]
Description
Monarchs that winter at Monarch Grove Sanctuary live up to six months after reaching adulthood, in opposition to most other monarchs, which only live for four to five weeks. There is a fine of $1,000 for molesting or interfering with monarch butterflies within the city of Pacific Grove during their annual migratory visit, except under defined circumstances.[8]
Additionally, a Scientific Collecting Permit (SCP) is required to handle wild monarchs in California including for educational purposes. It is unlawful to collect, remove from the wild and/or captively rear monarchs in the state without an SCP.[9]
The sanctuary contains pine, cypress, oaks, coast redwood, and eucalyptus trees.[2] Plant species include Monterey pine and Monterey cypress. Most of the monarchs are clustered around a "very dense" group of blue gum eucalyptus trees planted in 1917.[10]
References
- 1 2 Fadiman, Dorothy; McKenzie, Marlo. "Butterfly Town, USA Documentary Film Project (Concentric Media) - Home Page". Butterfly Town, USA. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- 1 2 3 "Monarch Grove Sanctuary". City of Pacific Grove. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ↑ Weiss, Stuart B. "Assessment and proposed management activities Monarch Grove Sanctuary and George Washington Park for 2023" (PDF). Creekside Science. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
- ↑ Fadiman, Dorothy; McKenzie, Marlo (March 25, 2015). "A Brief History of Pacific Grove's Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary". Vimeo. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
- ↑ Multiple sources:
- Lane, J. 1993. Overwintering monarch butterflies in California: Past and present. In: Malcolm, Stephen B., and Zalucki, Myron P., eds. (June 2008), Biology and Conservation of the Monarch Butterfly. Pp. 335—344. Los Angeles, California: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. (https://books.google.com/books/about/Biology_and_Conservation_of_the_Monarch.html?id=4JLwAAAAMAAJ)
- [NAMCP] (June 2008). North American Monarch Conservation Plan (PDF) (Report). Montreal, Quebec: Commission for Environmental Cooperation. p. 26. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 30, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
Monarch habitat has also been destroyed in California by monarch-focused recreational activities. For example, a famous overwintering site at Pacific Grove was destroyed when a motel was built among the butterfly trees to accommodate visitors to the site (Lane 1993).
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (December 12, 2024). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status With Section 4(D) Rule for Monarch Butterfly and Designation of Critical Habitat" (PDF). Federal Register. 89 (239): 100662–100716. Federal Register Document Number 2024-20855. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
- ↑ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (December 12, 2024). "Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Threatened Species Status With Section 4(D) Rule for Monarch Butterfly and Designation of Critical Habitat" (PDF). Federal Register. 89 (239): 100712. Federal Register Document Number 2024-20855. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved January 5, 2025.
- ↑ Multiple sources:
- "Pacific Grove Municipal Code: Chapter 11.48: Monarch Butterflies". codepublishing.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
11.48.010 Interference with prohibited. It is declared to be unlawful for any person to molest or interfere with, in any way, the peaceful occupancy of the monarch butterflies on their annual visit to the city of Pacific Grove, and during the entire time they remain within the corporate limits of the city, in whatever spot they may choose to stop in; provided, however, that if said butterflies should at any time swarm in, upon or near the private dwelling house or other buildings of a citizen of the city of Pacific Grove in such a way as to interfere with the occupancy and use of said dwelling and/or other buildings, that said butterflies may be removed, if possible, to another location upon the application of said citizen to the chief of police. [Ord. 210 N.S. § 8-3060, 1952].
- "Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary". Seemonterey.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2026.
Touching or interfering with a butterfly in any way is illegal in Pacific Grove–the fine is $1000.
- "Monarch Grove Sanctuary". Pacific Grove, California: City of Pacific Grove. Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
The Pacific Grove Police Department enforces strict regulations that prohibit the "molestation of butterflies." The fine? $1,000.
- "Pacific Grove Municipal Code: Chapter 11.48: Monarch Butterflies". codepublishing.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2026. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
- ↑ Multiple sources:
- "Do I Need A Permit To Use Monarch Butterflies For Educational Purposes?". California Department of Fish and Wildlife. April 6, 2023. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
Q: Do I need a permit to use monarch butterflies for educational purposes? A: Yes, a Scientific Collecting Permit (SCP) is required to handle wild monarchs in California including for educational purposes. It is unlawful to collect, remove from the wild and/or captively rear monarchs in California without an SCP, per California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, section 650(a)
- "§ 650. Scientific Collecting Permits: Permits to Take or Possess Wildlife for Scientific, Educational, and/or Propagation Purposes. (a) General Provisions". Scientific Collecting Laws and Regulations. California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Archived from the original on June 18, 2025. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
(a) General Provisions. Except as otherwise authorized by the Fish and Game Code or regulations adopted pursuant thereto, it shall be unlawful for any person or entity to take and/or possess live or dead wildlife, or parts thereof in any part of the State of California, for scientific, educational, and/or propagation purposes except as authorized by a permit issued by the department pursuant to this Section.
- "Do I Need A Permit To Use Monarch Butterflies For Educational Purposes?". California Department of Fish and Wildlife. April 6, 2023. Archived from the original on May 23, 2025. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
- ↑ Gho, Daniel (June 6, 2018). "Agenda Report" (PDF). Revize. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 2, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2024.