Working to Save the Monarch Butterfly
We Can All Make a Difference
We’ve had our eye on Dr. Karen Oberhauser for a long time, and we are delighted to bring her story and vast knowledge about the monarch into the SPI Learning Lab.
Dr. Oberhauser is considered to be one of the foremost conservation biologists in the world, focusing on the study of monarchs. She has spent the past 40 +/- years studying this now-endangered butterfly.
Her research addresses many key aspects of monarch butterfly ecology, including habitat management and availability, and the risks posed by global climate change and pest control practices—which are significant.
In her SPI talk, available here, Dr. O shares what we all can do to be part of the solution—and it’s not only easy, it’s fun!
Did you know that on a leisurely fly-by, a monarch can spot a single milkweed plant growing in a crack in the sidewalk and use it to lay eggs? Imagine if you planted milkweed—or protected it—in a field or garden.
Dr. Oberhauser has a strong interest in engaging students and teachers in inquiry-based science and in promoting a citizenry with a high degree of scientific and environmental literacy. She developed a comprehensive science education program called Monarchs and More (available online), which includes:
Courses and workshops for teachers
Opportunities for young people to engage in research and share their findings
A nationwide citizen science project: the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project
Curriculum development
Passionate about conserving the world’s biodiversity, Dr. Oberhauser believes that the connections her projects build—between monarchs, people, and the natural world—can inspire real conservation action. She chairs the Steering Committee of the Monarch Joint Venture, is an officer and founding member of the Monarch Butterfly Fund, and is active in both state and national pollinator conservation and citizen science organizations.
Dr. Oberhauser holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Harvard College, a Bachelor of Science in Natural Science Education from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Behavioral Biology from the University of Minnesota. She currently serves as the Director of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum. (Source: entomology.wisc.edu)
About Story Preservation
Our Mission: Story Preservation Initiative believes in the transformative power of story to connect people around our common humanity and create a better future.
Our Work: We are a leading producer and online distributor of original, content-rich audio-based narratives for K-12 students. SPI stories are the raw materials of history, roadmaps to scientific discovery, and windows to the minds of artists and skilled tradesmen and women.
What We Achieve: SPI brings listeners into personal contact with extraordinary people whose stories engage their hearts and minds, imparting content knowledge and fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking as they open doors to possible career paths in professions associated with the arts, sciences, humanities, and skilled trades. We are fully open-source.
When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.
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