2020-2021 Monarch Butterfly Report

March 16, 2021March 12, 2021 Peggy Farabaugh

Monarchs are in Danger of Extinction

Monarch Butterfly Report 2020-2021 | The News Isn't Good — At Vermont Woods Studios we were founded on an environmental mission: forest and wildlife conservation. We all grew up learning about monarchs in school. Now as adults we work to conserve their habitat here in Vermont and in Mexico where the butterflies over-winter (see above). The 2020-2021 Monarch Butterfly Report shows we have a lot of work to do.

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

How a Working Forest Contributes to a Healthier Ecosystem

February 14, 2021September 29, 2022 Alexandra Thompson

Last updated on September 29th, 2022 at 02:48 pm

By managing our own forest here in Vermont since 2013, we have witnessed the beautiful harmony of a healthy ecosystem. When Vermont Woods Studios outgrew the spare bedroom in Peggy’s home, our team searched for a permanent home. Above all, our goal was to find a space that would reflect the values of the company and offer a home to showcase the works of Vermont’s finest furniture craftsmen. After a long search, we found Stonehurst. As you can imagine, we love every minute we get to spend out in our forest!

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How to Help Save the Monarchs

March 10, 2020March 10, 2020 Peggy Farabaugh

Why Do We Even Care About Monarchs?

How to Help Save the Monarchs | Vermont Woods Studios — If you visit us at Stonehurst you’ll notice our commitment to forest conservation. As wood furniture makers we’re mindful of our impact on nature. Since we all love monarchs (our state butterfly) we work to conserve their habitat both here in VT and in the Mexican forest where they over-winter (above). We’ve partnered with the non-profit, Forests for Monarchs FFM to plant trees & restore monarch habitat in Mexico. So far we’ve planted over 60,000 trees! Photo by Sue Sill.

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Off to Mexico to Help the Monarchs

February 13, 2020February 14, 2020 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on February 14th, 2020 at 11:56 pm

Monarch butterfly at Stonehurst in Vernon, VT — If you visit us at Stonehurst in the summer, you’ll probably notice the milkweed and monarch butterflies outside our showroom. But did you know we also work to conserve the monarch’s winter habitat in Mexico?

Reforesting the Monarch’s Winter Habitat

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This Climate Change Remedy Is Proven. What Are We Waiting For?

November 16, 2019November 16, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh

Climate Change is Mitigated by the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont — Trees are Carbon Capture Technology at it’s best. Trees remove carbon dioxide CO2 from the atmosphere. CO2 is the greenhouse gas that’s causing climate change and global warming. Protecting existing forests (and re-planting forests we have already destroyed) is our best chance to remedy climate change. Let’s start planting trees. Photo of the Vermont’s Green Mountain National Forest by artist #1778011 at Pixabay.

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VWS Monarch Update, 2018

November 1, 2018June 20, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh Leave a comment

Last updated on June 20th, 2019 at 11:46 am

Today is El Dia de los Muertos

I thought today would be a good day to update you on our VWS monarch conservation efforts. Every year, with an uncanny sense of timing, monarch butterflies complete their epic migration and arrive in Mexico on November 1st. Read More

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Are Monarchs Making a Comeback?

August 21, 2018June 20, 2019 Peggy Farabaugh Leave a comment

Last updated on June 20th, 2019 at 11:47 am

Monarchs Making a Comeback | Milkweed | Vermont Woods Studios — Two monarch butterflies taking nectar from the blossoms of a common milkweed plant. Thanks to Martin Langeveld who took this recent photo on Meadow Road in Vernon, VT. Are monarchs making a comeback in your neighborhood?

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The Hands That Hold the Future

August 21, 2017October 3, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh 1 Comment

Last updated on October 3rd, 2022 at 06:01 pm

Monarch Butterfly Workshop at Nature Camp in Hinesburg, Vermont — Eileen Ashe invited me to teach about monarchs at Nature Camp, sponsored by the United Church of Hinesburg, VT last week. Students made seed balls out of potting soil, clay and water. We put milkweed and flower seeds in each ball and rolled them into sunny meadows where they’ll grow to produce habitat & food for monarchs next year.

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Monarchs Are Rebounding & So Are We

July 28, 2017August 14, 2018 Peggy Farabaugh Leave a comment

Last updated on August 14th, 2018 at 12:03 pm

Monarchs Rebounding | 2017 | Vermont Woods Studios — We’ve seen dozens of monarchs this year at our Stonehurst showroom in Vernon, Vermont. It’s exciting because last year we saw only a handful. On this World Nature Conservation Day it’s nice to report that things are on the upswing.

It’s Working!

Nature nuts and monarch lovers: your hard work of planting milkweed & nectar flowers is paying off. Butterfly populations seem to be bouncing back this year after decades of decline. It’s too soon to declare victory but many encouraging signs are out there. We’ll have to wait for the official reports from Monarch Joint Venture but I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
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2016 Monarch Butterfly Tour: A Trip Report

September 7, 2016October 11, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh 2 Comments

Last updated on October 11th, 2022 at 04:05 pm

International Save the Monarchs Team — Our international team of collaborators, working to conserve monarch habitat in Mexico, the USA & Canada. From left: Peggy Farabaugh of Vermont Woods Studios, John Hayden of The Farm Between, Dr. Heather Darby, UVM Extension Specialist, Jose Luis Alvarez of Forests for Monarchs, Francois Simard of Industries Encore 3 & Roger Rainville of BorderView Farm.

Monarch Habitat Restoration in the USA, Mexico & Canada

Last week Mexican monarch butterfly conservationist, Jose Luis Alvarez & Canadian entrepreneur, Francois Simard joined Megan & me for our Save the Monarch Butterfly tour of New England. We stopped at 8 venues from Boston to Philadelphia, and then wrapped it up with a visit to monarch researcher, Dr Lincoln Brower in Virginia.

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