Trips to the Monarch Overwintering Colonies in Mexico
In all the world, no butterflies migrate like the Monarchs of North America. Millions and millions of butterflies from the central and eastern Canadian provinces and the eastern and midwestern United States fly in masses south to Mexico each fall. By instinct alone, these Monarchs travel to the same mountains, often to the exact same trees, that their ancestors left the previous spring. Somehow, they find a place in Mexico that they've never seen before. The monarch's unique winter habitat is found on only 12 mountaintops located at nearly 10,000 feet in the Transvolcanic mountains of central Mexico.
Join Monarchs Across Georgia* on a trip to the Monarch overwintering sanctuaries to experience one of the world’s most impressive natural phenomenon and witness millions of butterflies clustered in the trees or cascading to fill the air. Three separate weeklong trips will be offered in 2009. The dates are:
January 31 – February 7, 2009
February 7 - 14, 2009
February 14 - 21, 2009
What makes this trip to the Monarch butterfly Mexican overwintering sites unique? The itinerary includes visit to three Monarch colonies. You will also learn about local efforts to promote sustainable and environmentally sound economic activities with visits to Alternare and the tree nursery at La Cruz Habitat Protection Project. Participants will visit at least one school near the Monarch Preserves to donate books that have been purchased through the Monarchs Across Georgia Mexico Book Project. Although the emphasis will be on exploring the natural history of the region, the trip also includes many cultural and culinary delights!
Trips are open to both educators and non-educators from Georgia and from out-of-state. Five Professional Learning Units (PLUs) are be available for Georgia certified teachers participating in this trip. Attendance at two pre-trip workshops scheduled for October 4, 2008, and January 10, 2009 and a post-trip meeting scheduled for April 17, 2009 is required for PLU credit.
For complete details, itinerary, and trip registration forms, please visit http://www.monarchsacrossga.org/MAGEvents.htm#Trips. A $600.00 deposit will secure your place. This deposit minus a 10% processing fee is refundable if cancellation is made in writing by November 1, 2008. For additional questions, please contact Susan Meyers at smmeyers@gmail.com or 404-388-8228.
*Monarchs Across Georgia (MAG) is a collaboration of the Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia, teachers, students, families, communities, businesses and others, all working together to study Monarch butterflies and restore butterfly habitat across the state. Established in 2001, Monarchs Across Georgia strives to engage schools and families in learning experiences involving Monarch and other native butterflies. For more information on creating gardens for Monarchs and other pollinators, please see www.monarchsacrossga.org
