Community Monarch Monitoring in San Francisco

Monarch butterflies captivate us with their beauty and the wonders of migration, and the urgency of their population decline. The good news? SF is one of the earliest places monarchs have been documented in CA and they're still here!

This opportunity has been timed to the Western Monarch Count. We'll start at 8:00 at San Francisco Botanical Gardens and then walk up Strawberry Hill for conducting the official count.

Then, as a final excursion, we'll carpool to Rob Hill on the Presidio to examine this historically reconstructed overwintering refuge.

Program:

8:00-9:00 - Join for an introduction to monarch monitoring followed by conducting the official monarch count at San Francisco Botanical Gardens (Monitoring Site #1). Morning is the best time to spot the butterflies roosting in the trees.

9:00-9:30 - Walk to the top of Strawberry Hill, Monitoring Site #2!

9:30-10:00 - Conduct the official monarch count at the top of Strawberry Hill.

Event Leaders: Rachel Maunus, Akani James, Raphael Weiner

Rachel is the Community Science Specialist at Nature in the City. They just finished up conducting the biannual Mount Sutro Butterfly Survey, and worked before hand as a research technician surveying native bees in the Mojave Desert.

Akani is a California Climate Action Corps Fellow at Nature in the City. He is a farmer at the Gill Tract Community Farm and has a degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Natural Resource Management and Conservation from San Francisco State University.

Raffy is a California Climate Action Corps Fellow at Nature in the City. He is passionate about using his degree in Geography from the University of Vermont to revitalize and bring awareness to San Francisco’s amazing biodiversity and native landscapes.

Event Details:

The event will take place in two locations: San Francisco Botanical Gardens and Strawberry Hill at Blue Heron Lake. Participants will learn the tools they need to help record monarch sightings throughout the city over the winter.

Preparation:

To get the most out of butterfly monitoring, you may want to download iNaturalist app. Dress warmly with raingear. Bring binoculars (optional but recommended).

Meeting Location:

Meet at the main entrance of San Francisco Botanical Gardens any time at 8:00 AM.

Transportation:

Muni service to the site includes the N, 7, 28, 44 busses.

Weather:

This event will occur rain or shine - bring the appropriate gear!

To learn more:

• Western Monarch Call to Action
• Monarch Joint Venture
• Western Monarch Count
• "The Imperiled Monarch & What San Franciscans Can Do"
• "The Bounciness of Butterflies"

Cost:

Our events and open to the public (with RSVPs requested). We kindly suggest a donation of $20 per person or whatever amount is right for you.

Donations can be made to Nature in the City on the day of the event in cash or anytime online.

Special bonus! Everyone who donates $10 and above will receive a copy of the Nature in the City Map.