This program aims to increase your awareness of monarch butterflies in Canada and show how you can make a difference for pollinators locally and regionally. Participation will build your knowledge of plants important to the monarch, including how to correctly identify plants in the field and how to collect seed using best management practices.
Through our learning modules, you will first learn about the program’s structure and goals, and the biology and conservation status of monarch butterflies in Canada. You will then receive an introduction to native plant seed collection and the Project Wingspan Ontario plant list, which includes our target native species for supporting monarchs and other pollinators. We will teach you how to identify these target plants, and introduce our plant profile packages to assist you with plant identification and seed collection in the field. Finally, we will discuss how you can contribute to the project through seed collection, growing plants, and sharing plant material!
Take these steps to become a Project Wingspan Ontario volunteer and join our network of seed collectors!
1. Before you watch our learning modules, stop here and take the pre-quiz. This brief quiz will help us understand volunteers’ knowledge of monarch butterflies, seed collection, and native plant identification prior to our training.
Click here to take the pre-quiz
2. Watch our five learning modules. These learning modules will give you the information that you need to participate in the program. Modules include 1) an introduction to the program, 2) Monarchs in Canada, 3) Seed collection 101, 4) Target plant species identification, and 5) Increasing native plant availability for monarchs.
Click here to watch the learning module playlist
3. Once you’ve watched all five modules, take the post-quiz. This quiz contains the same questions as the pre-quiz, and will allow us to see how much volunteers have learned from the training modules. You will receive all of the correct answers following the completion of this quiz.
Click here to take the post-quiz
4. Now you’re ready to contribute to the project! Use our resources to collect seed from target plants, grow plants, and share seed and plants within your community. Use our reporting form to tell us about seeds you’ve collected, plants you’ve grown, and plant material you’ve shared.
After following along with our learning modules and taking the quizzes, check out the resource library for our plant list and profiles, information about growing native plants from seed, and in-person training opportunities!
Resource Library
Our resource library is always growing—check back in for more!
Plant List and Profiles
Learn about our target plant list and how to identify each species
Grow Native Plants for Personal Use
Click the image to learn to propagate native plants from seed
In-Person Events
Check here to see if there are upcoming in-person training events
If you have any questions about Project Wingspan Ontario, please reach out to us at WingspanON@pollinator.org.
Guide for Teachers
Calling all teachers!
Our newest resource supports teachers in bringing native plant propagation into the classroom. With step-by-step guidance, curriculum links from grades 6-12, and a bonus comic for students, this guide is a go-to!
