Your return envelopes will soon be on their way back to you. Inside them you will receive an ambassador butterfly, news from the sanctuary area, and your "seeds of hope." Make room in your schoolyard garden to plant your milkweed seeds. Provide food for monarchs and hope for future monarch generations. When you receive your ambassador butterfly report to the Spring Map!

Today's Report Includes:

• Adiós Butterflies! Friendship and Monarch Conservation
• Hope for Future Monarchs: Milkweed "Seeds of Hope"
• MBF News: Satellite Snapshot of Sanctuaries
• Symbolic Migration Map: Share the News of Your Stewardship
• Classrooms in Action: Monarch Conservation and Flood Relief Donations

Here at the Journey North Symbolic Migration headquarters we are preparing each and every return envelope with something special. Even though your symbolic butterflies were destroyed in the flood disaster you will receive one special "ambassador" butterfly made by children living near Saltillo, Mexico. These children are helping to protect the monarch’s migration pathway through northern Mexico. In the Saltillo area students can see thousands of monarchs migrating overhead in the spring and fall!

You will also receive a newsletter with helpful information, and news from Estela Romero. Estela will tell you about her work and how important it has been to share your messages of goodwill. She will explain how the students learned about soil erosion and de-forestation and how to protect monarch habitat in their mountainous region.

Your return envelopes will also contain milkweed "Seeds of Hope."

This has been a difficult year for both the symbolic butterflies and the real monarch population. Scientists reported the overwintering monarch population was at an all time low in and around the sanctuaries in Mexico.

Early spring monarch sighting reports indicate the migrating population is small. Dr. Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch says, "We have no prior experience with such a small returning population and it is uncertain whether monarchs in such numbers could recover in one year."

How You Can Help Monarch Conservation
Help the monarch population recover by planting milkweed seeds. Monarch larvae have only one food source. They rely 100% on the leaves of the milkweed plant for survival. You can provide food for monarchs and hope for future monarch generations by planting some "Seeds of Hope" that are enclosed inside your return envelope.

Last fall, over 400 classrooms sent $7,573 to support monarch butterfly conservation in Mexico. This spring, the Monarch Butterfly Fund used your financial support to purchase a satellite image of the butterfly sanctuaries. The image is so detailed it may even show the monarch colonies.

Experts feel that this year's devastating flooding was the direct result of misused natural resources. The satellite images will help document changes to the sanctuary forests and fields.

This is the second year in a row that satellite images were purchased. These images will have permanent value for science and conservation. Students will always know that these 2010 images were made possible through their own generosity.

• Thanks again to these students, teachers and other monarch friends!

Coming May 1st: Report to the Symbolic Migration Map

• You've welcomed your ambassador butterfly.
• You've planted milkweed seeds of hope.
• You are watching for and will report the first monarch butterfly and milkweed you see this spring!

Students: Check out the map
Find out what other students are doing!

Oxford Elementary School, Oxford, Michigan
"We will get the word out about monarch butterflies, their beauty, and what they need to survive."

• Find out what these students did with some milkweed seeds.

Assumption Academy in Emerson, NJ
Assumption Academy students decided to have a bake sale to raise money for the Angangueo flood victims. By the end of the fundraiser, 21 third grade students in Louise Lucivero's class raised $300 for their friends in Angangueo.

• Learn more ...

Donations for Angangueo and Monarch Sanctuary Area: More Information