Join the Symbolic Monarch Butterfly Migration

August 30, 2021 by Team Journey North

Every year since 1995, people from across the United States and Canada have created paper replicas of monarch butterflies. These paper monarchs are then shipped to teachers and students in Mexico. The deadline to participate is October 8, 2021.

The Symbolic Migration project is a partnership project between Journey North, a program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, and Monarchs Across Georgia, a committee of The Environmental Education Alliance, a 501(c)(3) organization. 

To our Symbolic Migration community,

Every year since 1995, people from across the United States and Canada have created paper replicas of monarch butterflies. These paper monarchs are then shipped to Mexico for delivery to teachers and students who attend schools in two Mexican states: Michoacán and Mexico. Why these schools? The Cerro Pelon Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is located in the state of Mexico, while the El Rosario and Sierra Chincua Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries are located in the state of Michoacán.

We hope you will participate in this important transnational education project this academic year.

Read About the Arrival of the Classroom Ambassador Monarchs to Mexico

Starting in mid-November, you will be able to read about these deliveries and see photos on Estela Romero’s Symbolic Migration blog site.

Participation Only Costs $15

The cost is a $15 Passenger Ticket per classroom. This $15 fee will cover printing and shipping costs for the Classroom Ambassador Monarchs, and most importantly, conservation education for students both here in the United States and Canada, as well as participating schools in Mexico. The deadline to purchase your Passenger Ticket and to submit your Classroom Ambassador Monarch and life-sized butterflies is October 8, 2021. 

See the Symbolic Migration Leader Packet for complete details.

Watch Real-Life Monarchs Journey South on Interactive Maps

Monarch fall migration begins soon. The fourth generation of monarchs will soon begin their journey south on their annual migration to overwintering sanctuaries in Mexico and Michoacán, Mexico. Keep watching Journey North’s interactive maps to find out when the first monarchs arrive in the sanctuary region (typically around November 1st).

Be well,

-Team Journey North and Monarchs Across Georgia

The Symbolic Migration project is a partnership project between Journey North, a program of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, and Monarchs Across Georgia, a committee of The Environmental Education Alliance, a 501(c)(3) organization.