The Assembly Committee on Environment discussed a bipartisan bill to declare the endangered Monarch Butterfly the state’s official butterfly at a public hearing Sept. 25.
Though the bill itself would not fund or mandate conservation efforts, supporters say the designation could galvanize public interest and encourage residents to engage in conservation efforts.
The discussion also touched on a broader question often raised about symbolic legislation such as this, questioning whether measures like state designations translate into genuine environmental change.
Rep. Paul Tittl, R-Manitowoc, an author of the bill, argued the legislation would raise awareness of the endangered Monarch species, whose population has, according to the National Wildlife Federation, dwindled due to excessive habitat destruction and pesticide use.
“The monarch has been disappearing from our state for over the past several decades and the population has decreased by over 90%.” Tittl said,“The bill serves as a step in raising public awareness towards the Monarch’s “plight.” He warned the complete removal of the Monarch from Wisconsin ecosystems would have “widespread implications” for “environmental challenges ahead.”
Ryan Retza, Chief of Staff to Sen. Cabral-Guevera, R-Appleton, highlighted the role of Monarch butterflies as not only “beautiful creatures” but also crucial pollinators and pillarstones to the ecosystem.
“If we lose the Monarch, this impact ripples through the food chain,” Retza said. “This issue is not just a national one, it’s an issue for Wisconsin.”
As a northern state, Wisconsin is a critical breeding ground for the generation of Monarchs who then migrate to Mexico each fall. Because these butterflies are born in the Midwest, their survival determines whether the migration can actually be completed, meaning without a strong super-generation, the species’ entire migratory cycle is at risk.
“By adopting the Monarch as our state symbol, we are symbolically committed to protecting the Monarch and the native plants that define our landscape and sustain our pollinators,” Retza said.
Following the public hearing, the bill remains in the Assembly Committee on Environment, where a vote has yet to be scheduled. The committee’s next step would be to decide whether or not to advance the bill to the Assembly for consideration.
If passed, Wisconsin would join eight other states, including Minnesota and Illinois, in designating the Monarch as its state butterfly. The bill has already received support from Wisconsin institutions such as Clean Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association and Paul Heinen, Policy Director at Green Fire.
