You're Invited To iDig2Learn Roosevelt Island Monarch Butterfly Migration Corridor Project Saturday October 17 At Lighthouse Park

iDig2Learn's Christina Delfico reports:

iDig2Learn will host phase two of the Monarch Butterfly Corridor Project on Roosevelt Island on Saturday, October 17th, from 11AM to 2PM, rain or shine, at Lighthouse Park.

In the past two decades, the Monarch butterfly population has decreased in North America by 95%. Planting milkweed, the plant Monarch butterflies depend on, will increase their chance of survival. Monarch butterflies travel over 3000 miles from Mexico to Canada and back and they fly through New York City. We can help restore their habitat by planting the milkweed plant to create a flight corridor for Monarch butterflies on their migrations south to warmer weather every fall. If we plant it they will come!

iDig2Learn is thrilled that Citizens Committee of NYC has chosen this event as their service day and their staff will be on hand to volunteer which is a great way to find out more about what they do for our city. And thanks to grants from City Gardens Club of New York City, Citizens Committee of NYC and Grow to Learn this event will be free. And this event is only possible thanks to partnerships with RIOC, Roosevelt Island Youth Program, 217PTA, Roosevelt Island Parents' Network, Roosevelt Island Garden Club, RI Historical Society and Roosevelt Island Girl Scouts troop 3001 sponsored by Manhattan Park and troops 3244 and 3245 sponsored by RI Beacon Youth Program.

Please come join us to learn more about Monarch butterflies and what humans can do to help them. There will be free family friendly activities including the popular archaeological dig box where you can hunt for shark's teeth and fossils, story time by Eva Bosbach, face painting by Liyan Chen, butterfly themed art with Neha Sharma, and of course, planting milkweed plants for the Monarch butterflies.

The iDig2Learn initiative brings communities together with events and enrichment programs using plant life to explore science, math and healthy food.

Ms Delfico also thanked the Roosevelt Island Gristedes for providing assistance to local events including the Monarch Butterfly Corridor Project.



Here's more on the Monarch Butterfly migration.

iDig2LearnMonarchButterflyfunfacts101215

As previously reported, the planned Roosevelt Island PS/IS 217 Green Roof will include a managed milkweed haven to serve as a flight corridor for monarch butterflies.

More information on iDig2Learn available at their web site.