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The deep forests in Michoacán, Mexico, are famously associated with the high-altitude oyamel fir forests in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Photographer: Thomas Elliott.
Landmark Monarch butterfly habitat restoration
By Tiffany West
Briefly …
A landmark project in Mexico has planted 100,000 native Oyamel fir trees to restore vital winter habitat for migrating Monarch butterflies, securing hope for one of nature’s most extraordinary journeys.
The Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster, Colorado, in collaboration with the Government of Mexico and local community partners, has completed a historic reforestation project to restore the wintering habitat of the migratory Monarch butterfly. Between July and September 2025, 100,000 native Oyamel fir trees were planted across 32 reforestation sites in Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve to create vital winter refuges and help secure the future of this extraordinary migration.
The Monarch’s 3,000-mile migration from Canada and the northern United States to central Mexico is one of the most remarkable journeys in the natural world, but it is under grave threat. Populations have declined by nearly 80% in just 30 years due to habitat loss, deforestation, and climate change. Mexico’s Oyamel fir forests, which shelter millions of butterflies each winter, now cover less than 5% of their original range. In recent winters, colonies occupied only 0.9 hectares, the second-lowest area on record, while scientists estimate at least six hectares are needed to sustain the species.
Native Oyamel fir trees create vital winter refuges and help secure the future of this extraordinary migration. Photographer: Alex Guillaume.
Monarch butterflies are essential pollinators that sustain ecosystems and serve as indicators of environmental health. The landmark habitat reforestation project – titled ‘Preservation of Critical Overwintering Habitat for the Migratory Monarch Butterfly in Central Mexico’ – was made possible as a result of grant funding and extensive community collaboration.
Native Oyamel fir tree seedlings ready for planting in Mexico. Image courtesy The Butterfly Pavilion.
“Completing this reforestation marks a historic milestone for Monarch conservation,” Shiran Hershcovich, Lepidopterist Senior Manager at Butterfly Pavilion, told The Solo Traveller. “This large-scale restoration has united communities, scientists, and governments across borders to protect one of nature’s most extraordinary migrations. Every tree planted represents a promise to the Monarchs and to future generations. Each Oyamel fir we planted strengthens the delicate chain that keeps the Monarch migration alive. This work gives hope that with continued collaboration, this remarkable journey will endure.”
Beyond forest restoration, the initiative also created 20 native pollinator gardens in schools within the Reserve’s buffer zone. These living classrooms will engage students in pollinator conservation and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Monarch butterflies among the crucial native Oyamel fir trees in Mexico. Image courtesy The Butterfly Pavilion.
About the Butterfly Pavilion
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025, the Butterfly Pavilion is the world’s first Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited, stand-alone invertebrate zoo. Its mission is to foster an appreciation of invertebrates by educating the public, protecting threatened habitats, and advancing global conservation research, with their scientists leading invertebrate conservation initiatives across the globe.
You can learn more about how you can help protect Monarch butterflies and support this vital work here.
You might also enjoy watching …
In April 2025, ‘60 Minutes’ travelled to Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve for this story – ‘Inside the Monarch butterfly migration mystery’ – about the tens of millions of Monarch butterflies’ on their epic journey back north.
Tiffany West is The Solo Traveller’s Editorial and Pictorial Assistant Lead. This feature includes information provided by international news agencies and public relations representatives, published here with editorial oversight. You can read The Solo Traveller’s editorial policy regarding external sources here.