


Columbia, MO, July 21, 2022- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced on July 21, 2022, that the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) has entered the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Endangered. This listing will be the first time the monarch butterfly has officially been declared at risk of extinction. The IUCN is the leading global authority on the status of biological diversity. The IUCN Red List is one of many tools utilized in decision-making processes for public, private, and non-governmental organizations.
Read moreEl Dorado Springs, Mo. – Most people walk onto a prairie in mid-summer and notice lush green growth speckled with purple blazing star spikes and yellow coneflowers. Rick Swopes sees more. He notes what wildflowers were held back by a cold spring and which thrive despite summer drought and sweltering late-July sun. Most importantly, he knows which plant’s seeds are mature and ready to pick for the future of Missouri’s native grasslands.
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