Monarch Mexican Migration and land management

[Paul Cherubini]

Pat Foley wrote:

> I am perfectly willing to give you credit for your observations and
> insights about Monarch roosting behavior and the possibility that the
> Brower group is overly committed to a simplistic model. But if your
> alternative to the Brower model is to do nothing, to protect nothing,...

Well, what needs to be done?  Like do we need to finance reforestation
programs at the altitude where the monarchs overwinter? No, because
there is practically no logging damage that needs to be repaired.

Do we need to finance reforestation programs below the altitude where
the monarch overwinter?  Not generally, because low altitude forests are 
not used by the butterflies as overwintering habitat.  However, the 
monarchs commonly find drinking water on the cropland immediately
below the sanctuaries http://www.saber.net/~monarch/kurt2.JPG  
(obviously a benefit). In addition, nectar sources such as sunflowers
commonly grow as weeds on this cropland 
http://www.saber.net/~monarch/arriving2.jpg (photo lifted from
Journey North website).

Do we need to finance reforestation programs to repair occassional forest 
fire damage? No, because the forest regenerates on it's own.  

Is the human population in the monarch reserve area rising rapidly? 
No, because as in rural areas of the USA, the young people tend to
migrate to the larger cities to find better educational and employment
opportunities.  

Do we need to finance studies about the "appropriate land management 
policy for Monarch winter sites and learn more about the autecology
of overwintering Monarchs?"  No, because current and past land use
use practices have n proved to be compatible with monarch overwintering.  

Paul Cherubini

 
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