Broken Arrow starts a conservation initiative intended to boost the monarch butterfly population.
High school students have built a garden where the migrating butterflies will be able to stop and feed. It's the first project completed under the Broken Arrow Monarch Movement.
Donna Gradel’s AP environmental science class worked with the city to build the butterfly-shaped garden.
"They designed the bed. They came up with the soil type and the seeds they needed. They're working on a sustainable watering system. They did some flood prevention. There's a French drain ... they put in because this area sometimes floods," Gradel said.
The monarch population has dropped because of a decrease in their only food source: milkweed.
"You know, it's amazing to think that something as simple as planting milkweed could actually help to save a species that's just so beautiful and so fascinating," Gradel said.
The City of Broken Arrow is pitching in as well.
"Next spring, we'll be planting milkweed in several of our parks," said City Manager Michael Spurgeon. "We also have several locations identified at Battle Creek golf course."
Milkweed will also be planted at city hall, and city officials are giving out seeds for people to plant at home.
