Seniors ASSISTing Monarchs

An outreach program targeted towards expanding pollinator friendly habitats with senior residents at senior living facilities around Ithaca, N.Y.

Collaborators

We collaborated with two senior facilities (Brookdale Senior Living and Kendal Retirement Home) in Summer 2023 to introduce gardens to their facilities.

2023 highlights

Over 80 pots of common milkweed and swamp milkweed were planted.

The plants were rehomed after they were used for a local field experiment

Communication

Residents were given small informational guides about each species and how they benefit monarchs.

Conservation

We raised Monarch caterpillars for release at Brookdale Senior Living. The residents were able to check on the caterpillars each day and ask any questions about their development