New Project Aims to Relocate Oyamel Fir Trees to Protect Monarch Butterflies

An
innovative
project
aimed
at
cultivating
new
oyamel
fir
forests
in
central
Mexico
holds
promise
for
the
survival
of
monarch

butterflies,
which
rely
on
these
trees
for
their
winter
hibernation.
The
ongoing
threat
of
climate
change
has
raised
concerns
that
these
crucial
habitats
could
vanish
by
the
end
of
the
century.
Researchers
initiated
this
experiment
by
planting
hundreds
of
young
oyamel
fir
trees
(Abies
religiosa)
approximately
100
kilometres
away
from
their
native
forests,
and
recent
findings
indicate
that
a
significant
majority
of
these
saplings
are
thriving.

The
Need
for
Action

The
undertaking
is
viewed
as
a
necessary
step
in
preserving
ecosystems.
Karen
Oberhauser,
a
conservation
biologist
at
the
University
of
Wisconsin–Madison,
emphasises
the
urgency
of
facilitating
the
movement
of
tree
species
in
response
to
changing
climates.
Each
autumn,
monarch
butterflies
migrate
from
milkweed-rich
regions
in
southern
Canada
to
the
mountainous
oyamel
fir
forests
in
central
Mexico.
However,
the
combined
challenges
of
declining
monarch
populations
and
climate
change
predict
a
dire
future
for
these
habitats.

Relocating
Oyamel
Fir
Trees

Cuauhtémoc
Sáenz-Romero,
a
forest
geneticist
at
Universidad
Michoacana
de
San
Nicolás
de
Hidalgo,
advocates
for
relocating

oyamel
fir
to
higher
elevations,
where
they
can
endure
the
colder
temperatures
necessary
for
their
survival.
The
existing
trend
shows
that
as
temperatures
rise,
the
oyamel
fir
may
struggle
to
find
suitable
habitats
within
their
current
ranges.
The
project’s
focus
involves
moving
these
trees
to
taller
mountains,
as
they
cannot
relocate
independently.

Planting
and
Early
Results

The

research
team
collected
oyamel
fir
seeds
from
elevations
between
3,100
to
3,500
metres
within
the
Monarch
Butterfly
Biosphere
Reserve
in
Michoacán
state.
Collaborating
with
the
Indigenous
community
in
Calimaya,
they
planted
around
960
trees
across
various
elevations
on
the
Nevado
de
Toluca
volcano.
Early
results
from
the
experiment
show
that
while
seedlings
planted
at
higher
altitudes
are
smaller,
a
commendable
survival
rate
of
around
80
per
cent
after
three
years
was
observed.

Looking
Ahead

Looking
ahead,
Sáenz-Romero
acknowledges
the
challenges
of
garnering
community
and
governmental
support
for
such
initiatives.
A
critical
question
remains:
will
the
migrating
monarch
butterflies
locate
these
newly
established
habitats?
The
winter
of
2023–2024
saw
some
monarchs
bypassing
the
traditional
biosphere
reserve
in
search
of
cooler
environments,
indicating
their
adaptability
in
the
face
of
climate
change.