On October 11, Plantfest, organized by the Master Gardener volunteers of Orange County, was held at Blackwood Farm Park, north of Chapel Hill, NC. The various booths at Plantfest attracted many plant and animal enthusiasts. Among the numerous booths was d “Planting Milkweeds for Monarch Butterflies”,. Their project was titled “Milkweed and Monarchs X ZHAO” and was run by Xilong Zhao and his wife Jihong and supported by a Chinese school at Chapel Hill. Its aim was to encourage people to plant milkweed to save a nearly extinct butterfly—the Monarch butterfly.
The Monarch butterfly possesses beautiful orange wings with black stripes and white patterns. Even more impressive is its migration journey. Monarch butterflies are migratory butterflies who travel down long journeys between the US-Canada border and Mexico, creating a beautiful and unique landscape along their route.
However, the Monarch butterfly population is now declining. One major reason for the decline in the monarch butterfly populations is the destruction of milkweed. Milkweed is the sole food source for monarch butterfly larvae. However, extensive land development and pesticide use in recent years have drastically reduced milkweed populations, leading to a decrease in the monarch butterfly population.
The founders of the project “Milkweed and Monarchs X ZHAO,” Xilong Zhao and his wife Jihong, are Chinese Americans who have dedicated themselves to protecting monarch butterflies for many years. Through awareness campaigns, distributing free milkweed seeds, and releasing monarch butterflies, they have raised awareness of these endangered animals. This demonstrates the active participation of Asian Americans in environmental protection, contributing to biodiversity and influencing others to protect the Earth.
Personal Reflections (author’s note):
This was my first time participating in the “Planting Milkweeds for monarch Butterflies”volunteer activity. Seeing people enthusiastically asking about planting milkweeds, listening to Xilong Zhao and his wife Jihong’s thorough and detailed explanations, and finding smiles on people’s faces as they released monarch butterflies, I was very touches by the passion and dedication involved in the project.i also gained a deeper understanding that Asian Americans are an indispensable part of the community.
