Bill Text: NJ AJR83 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Designates May of each year as "Monarch Butterfly Month."
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-03 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Agriculture Committee [AJR83 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-AJR83-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ANNETTE QUIJANO
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Designates May of each year as "Monarch Butterfly Month."
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution designating May of each year as "Monarch Butterfly Month" in New Jersey.
Whereas, The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is an iconic large orange and black butterfly that is one of the most familiar butterflies in North America; and
Whereas, The annual migration of the monarch butterfly through New Jersey is a much anticipated phenomenon, and one that holds environmental, educational, and economic value to the State; and
Whereas, Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies undertake a spectacular multi-generational migration thousands of miles from Canada and the northern United States to Mexico and California, stopping along the way in places like New Jersey, to feed and reproduce; and
Whereas, Monarch butterfly populations in North America represent the vast majority of all monarch butterflies in the world; and
Whereas, Monarch butterflies can be found in any open habitat with wildflowers, including meadows and marshes, and are easily attracted to gardens with native plants such as milkweed, purple coneflower, aster, and goldenrod; and
Whereas, Monarch butterfly habitat has been drastically reduced and degraded throughout the butterfly's summer and winter ranges by the decline of nectar sources, commercial development, logging, and broader environmental changes; and
Whereas, Historically, the largest concentrations of monarch butterflies have occurred in Cape May and other coastal areas, where hundreds of monarch butterflies could be seen feeding on seaside goldenrod, and roosting on eastern red cedar trees; and
Whereas, Tourists once flocked to Cape May to see the monarch butterflies pass through the region on their grand journey to Mexico, but in recent years, the spectacle many once enjoyed has been reduced to a fraction of what it once was, and the tourism it brought to the area has fallen with it; and
Whereas, One of the major reasons for monarch butterfly population decline is the increased use of pesticides that kill milkweed, the monarch butterfly's preferred plant host; and
Whereas, Monarch butterflies are among the group of native pollinators that aid in the successful reproduction of many key fruit and vegetable crops across the State, and are crucial to New Jersey's agricultural and economic success; and
Whereas, Climate change also poses a dire threat to the monarch butterfly, as several scientists have predicted that the monarch butterfly's overwintering habitat in Mexico may be rendered unsuitable by global climate change, and that much of the monarch butterfly's summer range may also become unsuitable due to increasing temperatures; and
Whereas, Disease and predation also contribute to population declines, and major threats facing the monarch butterfly include numerous pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoan parasites; and
Whereas, The monarch butterfly population has declined by more than 90 percent in the past two decades, and is presently near the lowest population ever recorded; and
Whereas, Although there are small populations of monarch butterflies throughout the world, the North American monarch butterfly population is significant because without it, the redundancy, resiliency, and representation of the species would be so impaired that the monarch butterfly would become increasingly vulnerable to extinction; and
Whereas, New Jersey has long supported the preservation of the monarch butterfly, and in 2017, passed two separate pieces of legislation helping to protect the species: the "Adopt a Monarch Butterfly Waystation Act," P.L.2017, c.250 (C.13:1B-15.162 et seq.), and the "Milkweed for Monarchs Act," P.L.2017, c.252 (C.13:1B-15.170 et seq.); and
Whereas, New Jersey values the important role that pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly, play in the ecology of the State and the nation, and there is bi-partisan support in New Jersey for programs and legislation that protect and encourage pollinators and the habitats that support them; and
Whereas, Monarch butterflies arrive in New Jersey as early as mid-April and can be seen throughout the summer and fall months, which makes May a particularly good month to promote this remarkable insect; and
Whereas, Designating May as "Monarch Butterfly Month" in New Jersey will help to raise the profile of the monarch butterfly and the critical programs being implemented to ensure its preservation; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The month of May of each year is designated as "Monarch Butterfly Month" in order to encourage public officials, businesses, schools, and the residents of this State to undertake efforts to protect and preserve the monarch butterfly and its natural habitat.
2. The Governor, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, and the Secretary of Agriculture are respectfully requested to annually issue proclamations recognizing May of each year as "Monarch Butterfly Month" and calling upon public officials and residents of the State to observe "Monarch Butterfly Month" with appropriate programs and activities.
3. This joint resolution
shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution would designate May of each year as "Monarch Butterfly Month" to encourage public officials, businesses, schools, and the residents of this State to undertake efforts to protect and preserve the monarch butterfly and its natural habitat.
The monarch butterfly is an iconic large orange and black butterfly that is one of the most familiar butterflies in North America. Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies undertake a spectacular multi-generational migration thousands of miles from Canada and the northern United States to Mexico and California, stopping along the way in places like New Jersey, to feed and reproduce. Monarch butterfly populations in North America represent the vast majority of all monarch butterflies in the world; however, its habitat has been drastically reduced and degraded by the decline of nectar sources, commercial development, logging, and broader environmental changes.
One of the major reasons for monarch butterfly population decline is the increased use of pesticides that kill milkweed, the monarch butterfly's preferred plant host. Climate change also poses a dire threat to the monarch butterfly, as several scientists have predicted that the monarch butterfly's overwintering habitat in Mexico may be rendered unsuitable by global climate change, and that much of the monarch butterfly's summer range may also become unsuitable due to increasing temperatures. Disease and predation also contribute to population declines, and major threats facing the monarch butterfly include numerous pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and protozoan parasites. The monarch butterfly population has declined by more than 90 percent in the past two decades, and is presently near the lowest population ever recorded.
The annual migration of the monarch butterfly through New Jersey is a much anticipated phenomenon, and one that holds environmental, educational, and economic value to the State. Historically, the largest concentrations of monarch butterflies have occurred in Cape May and other coastal areas, where hundreds of monarch butterflies could be seen feeding on seaside goldenrod, and roosting on eastern red cedar trees. Tourists once flocked to Cape May to see the monarch butterflies pass through the region on their grand journey to Mexico, but in recent years, the spectacle many once enjoyed has been reduced to a fraction of what it once was, and the tourism it brought to the area has fallen with it.
New Jersey has long supported the preservation of the monarch butterfly, and in 2017, passed two separate pieces of legislation helping to protect the species: the "Adopt a Monarch Butterfly Waystation Act" and the "Milkweed for Monarchs Act." New Jersey values the important role that pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly, play in the ecology of the State and the nation, and there is bi-partisan support in New Jersey for programs and legislation that protect and encourage pollinators and the habitats that support them.
Monarch butterflies arrive in New Jersey as early as mid-April and can be seen throughout the summer and fall months, which makes May a particularly good month to promote this remarkable insect. Designating May as "Monarch Butterfly Month" in New Jersey will help to raise the profile of the monarch butterfly and the critical programs being implemented to ensure its preservation.
