Hutto, TX, July 2, 2019– Keep Hutto Beautiful (KHB), recently expanded its Certified Monarch Waystation located at the Peterson Community Garden in order further add to nationwide efforts being made to protect and rebuild the Monarch Habitat.

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KHB first created their Monarch Waystation Demonstration Garden in 2017 thanks to a Native Garden Grant from Keep Texas Beautiful and AEP Texas. They received community support from the Hutto Lowe’s Store who provided both supplies and labor through their Lowe’s Heroes program. The garden was officially certified as a Monarch Waystation in November 2017 and is currently one of 7 certified waystations in Hutto, Texas.

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A Monarch Waystation is an intentionally-managed garden that provides food and habitat for the struggling Monarch butterfly population. As a rule, a waystation must include at least 2 types of Milkweed, the 'host' plant for Monarchs.

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“Without milkweeds throughout their spring and summer breeding areas in North America, monarchs would not be able to produce the successive generations that culminate in the migration each fall. Similarly, without nectar from flowers these fall migratory monarch butterflies would be unable to make their long journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico.” 

--Monarch Watch Organization 

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An Eagle Scout project done by Dempsey Smalls in Spring 2019 included several projects at the Peterson Community Garden.  The work performed by Dempsey Smalls and his team of volunteers allowed for the Keep Hutto Beautiful Monarch Waystation to be expanded into a larger series of gardens, enabling Keep Hutto Beautiful to plant more milkweed and nectar plants to benefit the Monarch species.  To take advantage of this expansion, KHB applied for and was a recipient of a Monarch Watch Grant in Spring 2019. This provided the organization a flat of Green Milkweed plugs (baby plants) for the waystation. This is a grant made available to schools and nonprofits and made possible through Natural Resources Defense Council Green Gifts program.

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The Certified Monarch Waystation at Peterson Community Garden provides Keep Hutto Beautiful with a space to educate members of the Hutto Community on the importance of protecting the Monarch species and demonstrates what citizens, businesses, and schools can do in order to create their own Monarch Waystation.