Texas Master Naturalists, Township to Give Out Free Milkweed Plants

THE WOODLANDS, TX --Texas Master Naturalists, Township providing free milkweed plants

Naturalists to hand out vouchers for milkweed plants at The Woodlands Landscape Solutions show

The Woodlands, TX, - Texas Master Naturalists will be handing out vouchers for free milkweed plants, a beautiful native plant that not only attracts monarch butterflies, but is also considered the only plant that can play a role in slowing the rapid decline of the monarch butterfly population.

As part of The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department pollinator project, volunteers from the Heartwood Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist program have been working in partnership with the Township and with employees of Nature’s Way Resources in Conroe, planting and nurturing thousands of organically-grown milkweed plants for this important giveaway event at Woodlands Landscaping Solutions on Sept. 28.
Some surveys estimate the monarch butterfly population has declined by as much as 90 percent over the past 20 years. Experts blame the loss of habitat -- including fewer milkweed plants, the only host plant for monarchs -- for the precipitous drop in the monarch butterfly population.

“We are so pleased to be part of this important collaboration to increase pollinator habitat in The Woodlands,” said Carolyn Langlinais, president of the Heartwood Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists. Heartwood is the Montgomery and Walker County chapter of the statewide Texas Master Naturalist program, a group of trained and dedicated volunteers who work on conservation and nature service projects and provide education and outreach in the management of natural resources.

“Texas is part of a major flyway for migrating monarch butterflies. Creating safe spaces for new generations of monarchs is a goal of the pollinator project and we are so proud to be a part of this effort,” Langlinais said.
Volunteers staffing the Texas Master Naturalist booth at The Woodlands Landscaping Solutions show will be giving out Township vouchers for the milkweed plants. Texas Master Naturalists, staff at The Woodlands Environmental Services and employees at Nature’s Way Resources have all been working in partnership to make sure ample milkweed is available. Naturalists will explain how to redeem the vouchers and make sure those taking a voucher understand how to successfully plant the seedlings. This will be the only way for individual residents to acquire a voucher, unless they are already registered as having pollinator gardens.

In all, more than 13,000 milkweed plants have been cultivated and will be eventually given away. Most of the milkweed plants are for specific plantings within the Township. Established pollinator gardens that have been created to enrich the habitat for monarchs and other pollinators, and gardens that are registered with the Township, will receive vouchers ahead of the Landscaping Solutions event. Then any plants remaining after the Sept. 28 giveaway event will be offered some time later in the year to members of the public who are creating pollinator habitat gardens and have submitted their registration applications for the Plant for Pollinators Program.

About The Heartwood Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists
The local chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists trains community residents who love the outdoors to volunteer and assist with conservation projects in Montgomery and Walker counties.

About The Woodlands Landscaping Solutions Show
Hosted by The Woodlands Township and The Woodlands Township Recreation Department, the free show offers a chance for visitors to tap into nature, while learning tips on how to transform a landscape into a beautiful oasis and boost curb appeal.

When: Saturday, Sept 28
Time: 9:00 a.m. to noon
Where: Recreation Center at Rob Fleming Park, 6464 Creekside Forest Dr., The Woodlands
For more about the milkweed giveaway contact Carolyn Langlinais at (281) 851-5330, or heartwoodpres@gmail.com. For more information about The Woodlands Landscaping Solutions Show, contact The Woodlands Township at (281) 516-7348, or recreation@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

For those who can’t make the landscaping show, but wish to receive milkweed plants after the event, register here. https://thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/1460/Register-Your-Garden
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