Monarch Butterfly

ODOT's support for the monarch butterfly began in 2016 with the establishment of Interstate 35 as the Monarch Highway.

In 2020, the department joined other energy and transportation industry partners in signing on to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Monarch Butterfly Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances on Energy and Transportation Lands (Monarch CCAA).

ODOT manages approximately 150,472 acres of mowable rights of way within the land system. As part of the 2016 Monarch Highway commitment and the 2020 Monarch CCAA Agreement, ODOT Field Maintenance Districts contribute over 15,000 adopted acres across the entire state for the benefit of the monarch butterfly.

On monarch butterfly-adopted acres, ODOT incorporates integrated roadside vegetative management practices. These practices include reduced mowing, selective herbicide applications, brush removal to promote native habitat, and maintaining suitable native vegetation on idle land parcels.

To learn more about the ODOT Monarch program, contact: NaturalResources@odot.org