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Oakland Grassroots Movement To Plant Milkweed To Save Dwindling Monarch Butterfly Population

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Pesky milkweeds have drawn the wrath of many a garden hoe. Now, there's a movement in Oakland and across the nation not only to keep them alive, but plant even more, because Monarch butterflies depend on them.

Every year, butterfly enthusiasts gather in Santa Cruz for the annual Monarch migration, when thousands of the brightly colored butterflies come home to roost on same trees.

They may stop coming. Since the 1990s there has been a 90% population decline. Milkweed, the Monarchs' primary food source is disappearing, and so are the monarchs. If the trend continues, the only place people will see these butterflies will be on the endangered species list.

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Monarch caterpillars feasting on milkweed. (Tora Rochas)

A grassroots effort led by a woman in Oakland is encouraging people to plant milkweed, the life source of Monarchs so that will never happen.

"We need to be responsible," said Victoria Rochas, Park Supervisor for Oakland Public Works. Her friends call her Tora. She has been helping folks in Oakland find seeds so they can start plantings of their own.

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Tora Rochas looks at a Monarch butterfly.

Milkweed was once abundant. It's a weed. But rampant the use of herbicides like Roundup on genetically modified crops, the increase of ethanol due to climate change, even urban sprawl has is killing it.

Recent studies show the Monarch lay about 4 times more eggs per plant when milkweed grows nearby.

"The caterpillars eat the leaves, and the butterflies nectar on the flowers," said Rochas. "They are eating machines… It's fascinating how efficient they are."

Rochas is getting plenty of support from the city of Oakland. Council members are planting milkweed seedlings, even mayor-elect Libby Schaaf has a crop. Some 500 volunteer students have joined in the effort, as well.

Rochas and her supporters call themselves the Pollinator Posse. Check out their Facebook page for information on how you can help, and see the progress others are making.

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