MonarchButterfly_AttentionSpan_Downs_Cathy_ComfortTX_17May2023_Reel4153.mp3

Cathy Downs [00:00:00] Excitement doesn't always last.

Cathy Downs [00:00:03] Even though the monarch is still showing ups and downs in their population, monarchs won't always, and pollinators won't always, be the subject of conservation and funding.

Cathy Downs [00:00:16] So we need to get as much done as we can as soon as we can, while we still have the resources...

Cathy Downs [00:00:23] There is an attention span. And I even have coined a phrase for it: "monarch conservation fatigue".

Cathy Downs [00:00:32] So, I think that in America, specifically, in the USA, we have fads or trends. And so there's a new "Save the Whale", "Save the Monarch".

Cathy Downs [00:00:46] There are trends that happen and we jump on these trends. And we may stay on them for a while and then we kind of get off that trend when the new trend shows up.

Cathy Downs [00:00:58] And so. I haven't heard about "Save the Whales" for a long time, or "Save the Hummingbirds".

Cathy Downs [00:01:03] But, I'm still seeing and I'm still getting phone calls and emails about saving the monarch. So this one has landed for a while.

Cathy Downs [00:01:11] But, it's because the monarch's not specifically about monarchs, it's about a much broader topic than just monarchs. Monarchs have been the ambassador for a much broader topic. They're essentially talking for all insects.

Cathy Downs [00:01:32] I mean, we're seeing insects disappear, essentially, in Europe. We're seeing China having to hand-pollinate their fruit trees. We're seeing bee colonies disappear...

Cathy Downs [00:01:45] And I think a lot of people are much more aware of that now than were aware of that before monarchs came to the fore.

Cathy Downs [00:01:53] I mean, so, monarchs essentially were the brand, if you will, that brought that to the forefront. When they heard that monarchs were disappearing, that opened up a door.

Cathy Downs [00:02:07] Monarchs are nostalgic. I remember monarchs from being a kid. We can't not have monarch butterflies.

Cathy Downs [00:02:13] But that brought something completely different.

Cathy Downs [00:02:17] It brought exponential benefits, if you will. So by encouraging conservation for the habitat of monarchs, we also brought good mowing practices and good pesticide practices and ... exponential benefits to soil and water conservation.

Cathy Downs [00:02:36] So, everything that we did essentially through monarch habitat conservation is having a ripple effect out there. And maybe that's why monarchs haven't faded yet and why monarchs are still getting attention.