Insects

Working within the structure of the One Tamalpais Collaborative, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy received $400,000 in funding through the California Wildlife Conservation Board’s pollinator rescue program to invest in protection of monarch butterflies in Marin County.

Pollinators are in danger, and national parks want to help. Two early-career scientists piloted research projects to find out how they could.

Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is the oldest, scientifically managed forest in the United States. The National Park uses traditional logging techniques to manage the landscape. In 2023, logging operations are impacted by the spread of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).

Emerald ash borer are still decimating ash trees in the National Capital Region. Read on for the latest look into the state of ash trees in our parks based on forest monitoring data.

Restoring native plants supports insects, birds, and other animals.

We spent the summer of 2022 learning to be good stewards of monarch butterflies. It was an unforgettable experience.

This summer, the Natural Resources Management team at John Muir National Historic Site began two new exciting wildlife monitoring projects involving beloved native pollinators: monarch butterflies and bumble bees. Interns began milkweed and blooming plant surveys in April and monitoring for monarch eggs and larvae in June. They also began collecting data in June for the California Bumble Bee Atlas, a new community science effort to conserve native bumble bees.

Knowing which natural resources are found in the national parks, and whether they're stable or changing, helps decisionmakers make sound choices. The National Capital Region Network is building that knowledge. After over fifteen years of monitoring, we've learned a lot about park ecosystems, how they're changing, and what they may look like in the days to come. Find out what we’ve learned and how it’s being used to help managers plan for the future.

White ash trees are an integral part of the forests of the Northeast, and they are under grave threat of ceasing to exist as a mature canopy species in the near future. The culprit is a tiny invasive insect called the Emerald Ash Borer. Learn more about the current state of ash trees in the region, and learn how to help slow the spread of this destructive forest pest.

Iconic to North America, monarch butterflies are important pollinators. However, their numbers have been declining drastically over the past 20 years. See how the National Park Service along with partners and community scientists are helping protecting western monarchs and find out what you can do to help too!