The new Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium will attempt to improve habitat and conditions for an iconic Iowa species that has been fighting to stay on the landscape: monarch butterflies.

The state agriculture and natural resources departments and Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences plan to team with farm and conservation organizations and other state agencies.

“The consortium will offer opportunities to connect rural and urban communities in a common goal to ensure monarchs remain part of Iowa’s landscape,” said Craig Hill, a Milo farmer and president of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Joe McGovern, president of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, said: “The consortium will build on Iowa’s experience in related conservation efforts and can make great strides in benefiting monarchs. We look forward to getting the word out to all Iowans about how they can help increase monarch habitat.”

Iowa is the heart of the butterflies’ breeding range. Nationally, declines in monarch butterflies have been attributed to loss of overwintering habitat, and the loss of milkweed habitat. Monarchs depend on milkweed plants for laying their eggs and for caterpillar nutrition. As adults, monarchs also rely on other plants for nutrition.

ISU will lead research to develop cost-effective methods to establish and maintain milkweed plants in both rural and urban settings. Scientists will keep track of changes in the monarch population.

Last month, the university planted 10,000 seeds of nine different milkweed species in greenhouses.