UPDATE: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - As of August 13, 2015, monarch caterpillars have been spotted at the Bennett Woods Monarch Butterfly Habitat.






ORIGINAL STORY: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Monarch Butterfly is endangered according to monarchwatch.org, due to their food supply being destroyed and cleared away.

In order to help save the species, more nectar producing plants need to be planted in order to retain their food supply.

With the help of 100 3rd graders from Bennett Woods Elementary School, Meridian Township's Parks & Recreation Department created a Monarch Butterfly Habitat in Hartrick Park.

The Parks & Recreation Department applied for a grant through the University of Kansas' Monarch Watch Program and received a free flat of milkweed to be planted in one of the local parks.

Parks and Land Management Coordinator Jane Greenway said they're always looking to utilize the natural area within the Township's Parks and since Hartirck Park already had a field that doesn't get mowed or used for recreation, they thought it would be a good spot to plant milkweeds for the Monarch Butterfly.

About 70 milkweed and butterfly weed plants were planted by 100 3rd grade volunteers, their teachers, and parents.

Greenway said, "The Parks & Recreation Department loves to work with the local schools, particularly in parks that are nearby that they can walk to and to get the kids out into what they call playspace education, where they're learning right out in the park instead of in the classroom."

The Monarch Butterflies will begin their migration from Mexico to Michigan and up through Canada within the next few weeks though the summer.