“My hope is that more vineyards, the wineries themselves could dedicate an acre or something to native wildflowers, milkweed and such.” —Suzanne Clarke, Sonoma County Butterfly Alliance
Normally the butterflies would leave the Marin coastal area between March and April, but the warming climate has caused them to leave earlier. Clarke says another impact of climate change is the uncertainty of when the milkweed will emerge. This is problematic because native milkweed is the only plant that provides habitat for the monarch’s eggs. “When they come out, they need to have not only milkweed to lay eggs on, but pollinating plants with their nectar to feed the adults as they move along,” Clarke says. Butterflies and other insects need the nectar from the pollinating plants and native bees need the pollen. The corridor will therefore support far more than just the monarchs. “They used to come out of Bodega Bay, but now it’s Bolinas southward and they move inland to Sonoma Valley,” Clarke says. “So that area is critical. With all the agricultural
development, the natural milkweed paths have been depleted.” It’s possible that those same agricultural operations could help to rebuild what has been lost. Across the North Bay area many farms and wineries are utilizing the more sustainable and valuable biodynamic, regenerative farming practices and supporting or even replanting native habitat. “My hope is that more vineyards, the wineries themselves could dedicate an acre or something to native wildflowers, milkweed and such,” Clarke says, noting that native-habitat planting is being done at Kendall-Jackson winery by a fellow master gardener. Tucker Taylor is the director of the culinary gardens at Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate in Fulton. The culinary gardens support the in-house culinary team as well as other restaurants in the Bay area. “We’re growing for a total of
50 NorthBaybiz
March 2024
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