The project aimed to create a pollinator garden at a nature preserve to provide habitat for monarch butterflies. An ArcGIS map was used to identify suitable garden locations, then the site was tilled and native plants from a plant center were added. The objectives were met as a pollinator garden was successfully established with a variety of plants to sustain monarch butterflies. Cooperation with university faculty and staff and the nature preserve council facilitated meeting the goals of the project.

1. Objectives
Our main objective of the project was to inform
the public on both a community and a regional
level about pollinator gardens as they benefit
monarch butterflies. We will use our knowledge
concurrently with landscape management
practices to transform the selected project area
into a functional environmental patch for Monarch
Butterflies.
Methods
A ArcGIS 10.4 map was generated showing the
possible garden locations within the preserve. The
site was tilled using a rototiller from the
Department of Agriculture after proper training.
Plants from the Piney Woods Native Plant Center
were added to the plot after seeding with Burpee’s
Bee Garden seed packet.
Results
The objectives of the project were met and a
pollinator garden was established. The garden
is in an area that will attract Monarch
Butterflies and boasts a large variety of plants
to create a sustainable ecosystem and habitat.
Discussion
By working cooperatively with the faculty and
staff of the Stephen F. Austin State University
campus and the Stewardship Council of the
Banita Creek Reserve we able to successfully
accomplish our projects objectives.
Environmental Patch Management of Monarch Pollinator Gardens Using Principles
of Landscape Ecology
Conner Marx, Samantha Singletary, Aaron Slevin, & Jordyn Wagner
Pollinator garden before planting of native plants in the Banita Creek
Reserve Nacogdoches, Texas
Pollinator garden after planting of native plants in the Banita Creek
Preserve Nacogdoches, Texas
Tilling of Pollinator garden using a rototiller in the Banita Creek
Reserve Nacogdoches, Texas
Acknowledgements
Dr. Matthew McBroom, Dawn Stover, Ron Watson,
Bruce Lanham, Dr. David Creech, Greg Grant, Dr.
Jerrod Barnes, Bonnie Fyffe, Dr. William Forbes, Kai
Busch-Petersen, Dr. Daniel Bennett, and Dr. David
Kulhavy
A beautiful depiction of a Monarch Butterfly