The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the reopening of the public comment period for a proposed rule to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The butterfly, known for its striking orange and black wings, has faced significant population declines in recent years due to habitat loss and environmental changes.
This decision to reopen the comment period comes after the initial proposal was published on December 12, 2024. The comment period will now run until May 19, 2025, allowing interested parties to provide input on the proposed rule, which includes species-specific protections and conservation measures. Previously submitted comments will remain part of the public record and do not need to be resubmitted.
Officials say public input is a critical part of the decision-making process, helping to assess the conservation status of the monarch and its habitat.
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If listed as a threatened species, the monarch butterfly would still benefit from conservation efforts, including voluntary agreements with landowners to encourage habitat-friendly practices, prescribed burns and vegetation management to maintain grasslands, scientific research and monitoring of monarch populations, and community-driven educational programs to raise awareness and promote conservation.
Pamela Murfey, executive director of Keep Santa Rosa Beautiful, explained that listing the monarch as threatened would provide federal protection for the species and its habitats.
“Conservation efforts may increase by requiring federal and state agencies to increase protection efforts of Monarchs, critical habitats may become more important in acquisition and require inclusion in land management plan objectives,” she said.
Murfey also highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy monarch habitats.
“Prescribed fire, when applied appropriately, is an important tool in maintaining these natural ecosystems,” she said. “Fire will help in controlling overgrowth, open the tree canopy letting light to penetrate the forest floor allowing other plants to grow, reduce or eliminate exotic vegetation that outcompetes native vegetation, and assists plants that require fire to reproduce.”
For those interested in supporting monarch conservation, Murfey mentioned several citizen science initiatives, including the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project and the University of Kansas Monarch Watch program. These projects allow the public to participate in tracking monarch eggs, larvae, and milkweed throughout North America.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service encourages public participation in the comment process, which can be done through regulations.gov by searching for docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137. This reopening of the comment period reflects the agency’s recognition of the complexity of the issue and its desire to ensure all relevant information is considered before making a final listing determination.
