Monarch advocates Flora Conley and Ross Hart help plant milkweed in the Activities Center garden.
Susan Knox Wilson
PebbleCreek Golf Resort, home to celebrities, CEOs, government officials and thousands of happy homeowners, is now home for monarchs, too! Monarch butterflies that is.
Monarch Watch, the world-wide non-profit network of researchers, volunteers, teachers and students dedicated to the study of the monarch butterfly, has certified PebbleCreek Golf Resort as an official Monarch Waystation. PebbleCreek is the first golf resort in the Phoenix area to earn Waystation certification and just the second in the entire state.
The Monarch butterfly, one of the most recognizable species in North America, is threatened by habitat loss and Monarch Waystations, like the one here in PebbleCreek, are places that provide the resources necessary for the Monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their miraculous – and spectacular – annual migration.
PebbleCreek homeowners (and Monarch advocates) Judy and Ross Hart, convinced PebbleCreek staff to first plant a milkweed patch last spring (milkweed is crucial to the Monarch life cycle and an essential element of a waystation). “Those first two clumps of milkweed were so successful,” notes Bill Barnard, PebbleCreek Golf Resort General Manager, “We had monarchs duking it out for a landing spot. To keep the peace, we decided we better expand our efforts,” he joked, “so we’ve planted more milkweed clusters in additional sites around the property.”
Flora Conley, PebbleCreek homeowner and Regent of the Copper State Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has also joined the effort. Like the Harts, she has planted a waystation in her backyard and has convinced her DAR chapter to make saving the monarchs their conservation project. “I was inspired by Judy and Ross’s effort and wanted to do something, too. We’re spreading the word and trying to convince everyone we can of the importance of saving these magnificent creatures.”
“Monarchs are now in the process of being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act,” said Bill, “Our hope is that we can continue to attract more Monarchs during their annual flyover and help them survive. Now that we’ve been adding milkweed plants, our golf resort really has everything a Monarch needs — water, food, shelter and adoring fans. I hope our efforts will encourage other resorts to become Monarch Waystations, too.”