Monarch Fundraising Exceeded!

KCS and partners have completed the 60,000 Tree Challenge North American Boxcar tour to help save the monarch butterfly. 

And that is a wrap on this migration season!  Just like the monarchs, the Monarch Butterfly 60,000 Tree Challenge Boxcar tour has made its final migration to El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico. The boxcar started its journey south in September in Canada and traveled 5,450 miles making 10 stops enroute ultimately reaching Morelia on November 4th. The goal with this Boxcar tour was to raise awareness of the plight of the endangered monarch butterfly and raise $100,000 to plant 60,000 oyamel trees the monarchs rely on during the winter months. 

And, through the generosity of our partners:  CP, GATX, Rotary International (and their clubs enroute), Suburban Lawn and Garden, NASCO, ArcelorMittal, Orsan, Xignux, Track Speq, Grupo Acerero, APM Terminals, Bulkmatic and the Michoacan Government and the generosity of so many along the way, we have exceeded our fundraising goal! We anticipate the total to be an amazing $120,000 USD when all the donations and matching gifts have been accounted!

This money will be used to purchase and maintain oyamel trees, with the help of Fondo Monarca, to be planted in the El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary in Summer of 2023. Last winter, El Rosario hosted upwards of 130 million butterflies and we hope to see this number grow with the new oyamel trees and pollinator gardens planted along the route. 

Thank you for following along with our migration journey this year. Remember, you can help locally…avoid using pesticides and plant pollinator friendly plants.