Transform part of your property into a vibrant, biodiverse wildflower meadow. 

The Meadows for Monarch project combines instruction from habitat restoration experts with a lending library of tools, equipment, and native seed mixes—everything you need to convert ordinary grass into extraordinary habitat for monarchs and other pollinators. 

PROJECT PARTNERS
U.S. Fish and Wildlife - Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program
The Dawes Arboretum |  Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers | Licking County Soil & Water Conservation District | Licking Park District | Licking Land Trust

About the program 

The Meadows for Monarchs Project combines instruction from habitat restoration experts and access to a lending library of tools, equipment, and native seed mixes to help Licking County residents restore crucial habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators. 

Geared towards Licking County landowners and grounds managers, the goal of the project is to transform small parcels of little-utilized grassy areas into thriving wildflower meadows in order to reverse habitat loss, support biodiversity, build climate-resilient landscapes and create a pathway for pollinators to survive and thrive.

How it works

After enrolling in the program, you’ll be encouraged to attend a series of training workshops (see dates and descriptions below) prior to gaining access to a lending library of tools and equipment for site preparation, including seeders, backpack sprayers, and solarization materials. Once your plot is prepped using one of the recommended site preparation methods, you’ll have access to a supply of native seed mix to plant your own wildflower meadow for monarchs and other pollinators.

Timeline

Enrollment is open on a rolling basis now through spring 2025, with training workshops offered between January and July. These educational sessions provide participants with the knowledge and tools needed to plan, prepare, and plant meadows and pocket prairies.

Proper site preparation is a critically important step in the pollinator habitat creation process. Depending on the methodology used, site preparation typically requires several months to complete. We recommend prepping your site between late spring through early fall 2025 so that the plots will be ready to be seeded in the late fall of 2025.  

Who can participate

This project is designed for anyone ready to transform a section of underused grassy areas or pasture into thriving pollinator habitat, including:

• Property owners with large tracts of grass who are tired of the time and cost involved with weekly mowing.

• Parks and recreation teams seeking to enhance biodiversity while reducing lawn care costs.

• Conservationists & environmental stewards who want to create high impact habitat for pollinators and the planet.

• Schools, churches, and nonprofit organizations looking to save on maintenance costs by transforming unused areas into learning labs and pollinator habitat. 

• Municipal Service Departments and Grounds Managers interested in converting steep hillsides and underutilized spaces into sustainable habitats.

While anyone can participate in the training programs, the lending library of tools, equipment & seed mixes is available to residents of Licking County only.

How to participate

Complete the Registration Form to enroll in the program and indicate your willingness to create a meadow on your property. 

In lieu of a registration fee, participants agree to "plant it forward" to support the success and continued expansion of meadows and pocket prairies:

Ways to plant it forward include: 

• assist other program participants in establishing and maintaining their plots.

• share knowledge gained from the program to others in your community through formal and/or informal information sharing and mentoring. 

• collect and share seeds from your meadow (once it is established) to supply other pocket prairies or community seed libraries. 

• collect data for community science programs focused on native plants and pollinators. 

Converting grass to pollinator habitat isn’t just good for monarchs—it can be great for your budget too. Wildflower meadows, once established, require less overall maintenance than traditional lawns. Converting turf grass to native wildflower meadows and pocket prairies eliminates the need for weekly mowing, supplemental fertilizer or irrigation. Additionally, replacing grass with prairie on hillsides eliminates the hazards of mowing difficult or dangerous terrain. This not only saves on labor and maintenance costs, it also has the added benefit of reducing expenditures for gas, which in turn reduces greenhouse gas pollution emitted from lawn equipment.

OTHER WEBSITE RESOURCES: 

Growing Your Prairie: Establishing a Native Plant Community from Seed | Prairie Moon Nursery
Guide to Establishing a Native Seed Mix | Prairie Nursery
Site Preparation & Seeding Methods | Prairie Nursery
5 Steps to Successful Prairie Establishment| Prairie Nursery
How to Plant Native Grass & Wildflower Seed | OPN Nursery

RECOMMENDED BOOKS: 

Prairie Up by Benjamin Vogt
Lawns into Meadows by Owen Wormser
Gardeners Guide to Prairie Plants by Neil Diboll, et al
Planting in a Post Wild World by Thomas Rainer & Claudia West
A Practical Guide to Prairie Reconstruction by Carl Kurtz
The Ecology & Management of Prairies in the Central U.S. by Chris Helzer
The Prairie in Seed: Identifying Seed-Bearing Prairie Plants in the Upper Midwest by Dave Williams