Chicago Home Transformed Into Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

As monarch butterflies migrate for the fall, Chicago resident Claudia Galeno-Sánchez has transformed her Pilsen neighborhood home into a sanctuary and educational space dedicated to the insects. According to The Guardian, Galeno-Sánchez restored monarch habitats in her yards by planting native milkweed and wildflowers to aid the butterflies on their nearly 3,000-mile journey to Mexico.

Habitat Restoration in the Pilsen Neighborhood

Galeno-Sánchez shares her modest family home with her husband and two children. Over the past few years, she painted the exterior with the help of neighbors, her kids, and renowned muralist and painter Héctor Duarte to reflect her dedication to the species. Before becoming a mom, I didn’t know much about the environment, the 49-year-old said in Spanish, as reported by The Guardian. Knowing that we are losing species and the planet is warming, I feel that while I’m alive, it’s my time to do something. Not only for my children but for future generations.

Her efforts extend beyond her property line. Galeno-Sánchez has created eight native plant projects between her home and nearby schools, and she provides milkweed plants to a community garden in an industrial area. She also co-founded the non-profit Women for Green Spaces, which aims to partner with Chicago schools to teach children about environmental care.

Habitat Loss and Pesticides Drive Monarch Population Declines

Galeno-Sánchez’s grassroots efforts coincide with documented downward trends for the species. Studies show that over the past 20 years, both eastern and western monarch butterfly populations have faced severe declines driven by habitat loss from deforestation, extreme weather linked to climate change, and pesticide use that harms the plants they need to survive.

Advocates have attempted to secure protections for the monarch under the Endangered Species Act in the United States, but those efforts have stalled. The decision regarding federal endangered species protection has been delayed until June 2030. While the eastern monarch population has experienced some growth over the last couple of years, experts warn that overall losses continue to outpace these gains, leaving the species at risk of extinction.

Natural Habitats Help Caterpillars Survive Migration

Galeno-Sánchez first attempted to save caterpillars by rearing them indoors before learning that the practice can hinder their ability to survive in the wild. We have to plant their natural habitats out there, because they are not human babies; they are another species, she told The Guardian. They need to be exposed to sunlight, to changes in temperature, even predators make them stronger to migrate.

The annual migration holds a personal resonance for Galeno-Sánchez, who migrated to the United States as a child without her parents to live with family in Chicago. Due to her immigration status at the time, she was unable to be with her father during his final days after a cancer diagnosis. The monarch butterfly migrates. We migrate. The only difference is that the monarch butterfly does not require a passport, she said.