As monarch butterflies migrate for the fall, meet the Chicago woman trying to protect them
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez, a Chicago resident, has transformed her home into a sanctuary for monarch butterflies by planting native milkweed and wildflowers. Her efforts are part of a broader grassroots movement to combat the decline of monarch populations caused by habitat loss and climate change.
Why it matters
Individual conservation efforts are increasingly vital as monarch butterfly populations face severe threats from environmental degradation and climate change.
Claudia Galeno-Sánchez has turned her home into a sanctuary for the insects by planting native milkweed and wildflowers – and sharing her experience
Prefer the Guardian on Google Along the concrete streets of Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, a vividly colored home stands out among the rest.
Over the past few years, Claudia Galeno-Sánchez has transformed her modest family home, which she shares with her husband and two children, into a sanctuary and educational space dedicated to the monarch butterfly.
Galeno-Sánchez has restored monarch habitat in her front and back yards by planting native milkweed and wildflowers. Every fall, she and her kids now enjoy marveling at these delicate creatures as some pay them a visit during their nearly 3,000-mile journey to Mexico, which unfolds until late October.
Galeno-Sánchez painted her home with the help of neighbors, her kids, and the renowned muralist and painter Héctor Duarte.
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