Milkweed for Restoration Projects

Are you restoring habitat for monarchs and native pollinators? 
The Milkweed and Monarchs program supports high-impact restoration projects by providing native plants—including showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) and key nectar connector species—to eligible sites in the Kootenay region. In particular, our priority is to collaborate with large-scale habitat restoration projects along the flyway of the Western monarch butterfly population (West of the Rocky Mountains). This initiative focuses on strengthening monarch migration corridors and enhancing biodiversity across working and natural landscapes. 

KNPS will award free plants for restoration, based on project eligibility. To begin the process of getting plants, please read the application guidelines (listed below) and fill out the Native Plant Request form (opening soon).

We welcome applications from:

• Conservation organizations and land trusts
• Indigenous Nations and community land stewards
• Farmers, ranchers, and land managers with restoration goals
• Local governments and restoration professionals

To be eligible, your project must:

• Be at least 0.25 hectares (~0.6 acres) in size
• Be part of a restoration or naturalized landscape (not gardens or schoolyards)
• Demonstrate habitat suitability for milkweed (well-drained soils, appropriate sun exposure, etc.)
• Commit to long-term habitat protection and stewardship (“in perpetuity”)
• Avoid the use of systemic insecticides and herbicides

*All applications will be reviewed to assess site conditions and compatibility with showy milkweed.

Timeline and Process:

• Apply ahead for future plantings: Native Plant Request Form submissions re-open in July (pending funding)
• Applications reviewed for successful applicants: mid-March
• Milkweed and nectar plants distributed for planting: April to mid-May