Apr 6, 2016

Garden Centers Help Inspire Butterfly Heroes

The National Wildlife Federation recently launched Butterfly Heroes program with a goal of 100,000 Americans pledging to help save monarchs and critically important pollinators in 2016. The program is presented by Subaru.

To help reach that goal, the National Wildlife Federation is distributing over 50,000 Butterfly Heroes Garden Starter Packets for those who take the Butterfly Heroes pledge, and corporate partner, Subaru will hand out an additional 50,000 at its retailers nationwide.

Seventy garden centers and native plant nurseries, provided 370 Subaru dealer locations with demonstration container gardens representing elements of wildlife habitat.

The Disney Conservation Fund is also supporting the NWF effort, and Botanical Interests is the official provider of native milkweed seeds in the kits that participants receive when they make a formal pledge to become a National Wildlife Federation Butterfly Hero.

The Butterfly Heroes Campaign asks Americans to submit a photo of themselves making the international sign language sign of the butterfly at NWF.org/ButterflyHeroes.

By taking the pledge, participants will be mailed a free kit and are eligible for a chance to win a trip for four to Walt Disney World in Orlando.

Planting milkweed or nectar plant seeds provides essential elements of butterfly habitat: food, water, cover and a place for monarchs to raise their young. Add a water source—such as a birdbath filled with pebbles or mud for pollinators to land upon to get a drink— and the Butterfly Hero garden qualifies as an official National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat and will also be counted as part of the Million Pollinator Garden Challenge.