The STEM Sessions Meetup - The Western Monarch Count

The annual count of western monarch butterfly's overwintering population has kicked off. Formally started in 1997, this annual initiative coordinated by the Xerces Society sees volunteer community scientists and conservation organizations counting monarch butterflies at their overwintering sites along the west coast, from Mendocino County in northern California down to Baja, Mexico.

I have volunteered in the count for the last four or five years, surveying a site in Long Beach and a site in San Pedro, and have trained new volunteers the last two years. I'll share my experience as a volunteer, and talk more generally about the monarch butterfly, other native pollinators, and the importance of protecting/creating local habitat for them.

And as always, there will be plenty of time for open discussion and getting to know each other.

For those new to this group, The STEM Sessions was created as a forum for people interested in and/or working in STEM to share their experiences, expertise, and learn from each other. I do my best to get the party started, but it's maintained by everyone's participation.
So join us. Have some food, have some beverages, and let's learn from each other.