The MoMa ( Mother Monarca) Hope statue was commissioned by David Eaton, member of the Rotary club of Monterrey, Mexico. A local artist created a colourful statue resembling a butterfly and three hands, representing the three countries working together to protect the Monarch Butterfly.Monarch Butterflies population has decreased by 75 % in the last 40 years. Habitat loss, use of pesticides, monoculture, Climate change and disease are causing this tragedy that also effects bees and other pollinators in a most negative way.
Christopher Stein, member a Milwaukee Rotary Club and leader of the Operation Pollination group orchestrated a four-month tour of the statue throughout major centres in North America to help Rotary Clubs raise awareness about this tragedy.
MoMA arrived in the GTA in mid-September and was brought to Peterborough on September 18th. The Rotary club of Peterborough Kawartha in conjunction with the Monarch Ultra group, a local team of butterfly crusaders, introduced the statue and its purpose to the community.
Besides raising awareness about this environmental disaster in the making, the MoMa campaign raised US $150,000.00 for tree planting in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico. It is there where millions of Monarch Butterflies spent their winters high in the sanctuaries resting on the Oyamel fir trees. Illegal logging has depleted much of the forest, causing erosion and threaten the entire biosphere which so vital for their survival.
Monarch Butterflies that are born in Canada and northern USA migrate over 4000 km to Mexico are called the Methuselah or super monarchs. After a dangerous 6-to-8-week journey, millions arrive at the sanctuary in the fall to spend the winter in the warm and protected forest. At about the same time, in the beginning of November the Mexican people celebrate the Day of the Dead. They say that Mariposas de Monarca are their ancestors visiting from the dead.
In March, once temperatures rise, the Butterflies start heading back north to continue the ancient cycle. They lay their eggs on the ever so important Milkweed in northern Mexico and south Texas and die. A tiny caterpillar emerges to eat and eat, and once big and fat turns into a Chrysalis and morphs after two weeks into one of the most beautiful sights on our planet – a Monarch Butterfly. The new generation continues the journey repeating the process 2 to 3 times before arriving back in Canada in June.
While in Peterborough the statue was introduced to students at Trent University and Lakefield College School. The greater public was able to view it at the Peterborough farmers market, read about it in the newspaper and see it on television.
After three days of touring in the Peterborough area MoMa was taken to the Ajax Rotary club luncheon and introduced to members and media.
The 4-month journey continued to the Rotary Club of Thornhill and on to the Detroit Windsor area.
MoMa is now back in Mexico and on display at the Butterfly Sanctuary in Rosario, Michoacán.
To find out more about Operation Pollination HERE >
Gūnther Schubert is a member of the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, District 7010 Environment Committee, ESRAG (Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group), Operation Pollination, and Monarch Ultra