Local University Students plant Milkweed to Help Monarchs Thrive

CAMARILLO, Calif. - Cal State University Channel Islands has joined forces with the non-profit Native Monarchs.

Although monarch butterflies are one of the most effective pollinators, they are a threatened species.

So, students planted milkweed on campus to increase their population.

They also installed raptor perches for owls as a form of rodent control.

"What we are experiencing is an insect apocalypse, we have seen the declines in not only butterflies, bees, native insects all across the board with the use of pesticides, herbicides, climate change and basically lack of habitat," said Native Monarchs' founder Chris Amendt.

CSU Channel Islands named Native Monarchs the non-profit of the year at its annual CI Connections breakfast.

They also honored Megan Kenny Feister as faculty member of the year for promoting the mission of the university, and Kaiser as employer of the year, and The Trade Desk as business of the year.

For more information visit https://csuci.edu