Important Notice:
The Taos Eco Kids Club is on a hiatus at this time as I (Marielle) am a Senior in high school, and am going to the University of Redlands for college. My responsibilities as an athlete and student have made it difficult to organize meetings. I'm not sure what the future holds for the Taos Eco Kids Club, however its vision is something I will not relinquish. Thank you for your support and interest throughout the years. It has meant the world to me.
Sincerely,
Marielle Gomez, Founder and Director
© 2022 by the Taos Eco Kids Club
The Taos Eco Kids Club is on a hiatus at this time as I (Marielle) am a Senior in high school, and am going to the University of Redlands for college. My responsibilities as an athlete and student have made it difficult to organize meetings. I'm not sure what the future holds for the Taos Eco Kids Club, however its vision is something I will not relinquish. Thank you for your support and interest throughout the years. It has meant the world to me.
Sincerely,
Marielle Gomez, Founder and Director
© 2022 by the Taos Eco Kids Club
Creating change and inspiring youth, ONE BUTTERFLY AT A TIME.
One of the most fascinating and inspiring creatures that our local nature offers is endangered and in critical condition: Monarch butterflies and pollinators. But we're here to fix that. Through our projects and workshops with scientists, and collaborations with local organizations, and classrooms, we're giving youth the opportunity to experience the beauty of the Earth and the life that exists on it, inspiring them to make a change, and teaching them exactly how to do it.
Our ClubOur projects and workshops are active during the spring, up until late summer-early fall. These projects offer youth an opportunity to experience working with Monarchs, pollinators, and the environment, through our hands on projects. We also collaborate with local organizations and schools to get more youth involved, and offer information for anyone interested in continuing at home!
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ParticipateJoin our club to take part in our local projects, and become part of a life changing legacy! Become inspired to help save these local creatures, and learn how to do it! Joining is easy, simple, and the best part: free! That's right, this is all just passion! All you need to do is fill out our quick form, and you'll be notified of new project dates as they arise! We can't wait to meet you!
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Our Work
The Environment
Since 2014, the Taos Eco Kid Club has been working to involve youth in helping the Earth become a better place. Through projects and activities, young people learn about Eco-Friendly habits, and be involved to help leave a better legacy on this Earth
Since 2014, the Taos Eco Kid Club has been working to involve youth in helping the Earth become a better place. Through projects and activities, young people learn about Eco-Friendly habits, and be involved to help leave a better legacy on this Earth
Monarch Butterflies
We work with scientists and collaborate with local organizations, and classrooms to create fun hands on learning conservational projects about Monarch butterflies, just for youth! One of our biggest and post successful project is our Annual Monarch Tagging Workshop. Through our workshops and projects, we're educating youth how to save Monarchs and help them recover, and giving them the opportunity and experience of it all, right in our own backyard! We also provide information and resources to people who are interested in doing these kinds of projects on their own! Contact us if you'd like to learn more.
We work with scientists and collaborate with local organizations, and classrooms to create fun hands on learning conservational projects about Monarch butterflies, just for youth! One of our biggest and post successful project is our Annual Monarch Tagging Workshop. Through our workshops and projects, we're educating youth how to save Monarchs and help them recover, and giving them the opportunity and experience of it all, right in our own backyard! We also provide information and resources to people who are interested in doing these kinds of projects on their own! Contact us if you'd like to learn more.
Pollinators
With the help of local organizations, students, and staff, we've created a pollinator garden at Taos Charter School. We plan on continuing this legacy and plan on creating more pollinator gardens around town and schools, create Monarch way stations, and wildlife habitats. This is just a few of our plans, as we have more pollinator projects in mind. Let us know if you have an idea!
With the help of local organizations, students, and staff, we've created a pollinator garden at Taos Charter School. We plan on continuing this legacy and plan on creating more pollinator gardens around town and schools, create Monarch way stations, and wildlife habitats. This is just a few of our plans, as we have more pollinator projects in mind. Let us know if you have an idea!
Bucket List
- Collaborating with Susie Fiore of FITaos and going out to find Monarch eggs in the wild with youth.
- Creating more pollinator gardens around town.
- Creating a giant pollinator garden in the road median strips of dirt.
- Creating a Monarch Waystation garden around town.
- Creating a Wildlife Habitat.
- Planting milkweed for Monarch butterflies around town.
- Having Dr. Ubelacker, a scientist who's passion is cactuses, come and talk about the pollinator flowers.
- Making pollinator "hotels" for youth to take home.
- Planting trees around town.
- Native plant gardening workshop with Miguel Santistevan
- Creating recycling stations/bins around Taos for trash that can't be recycled in Taos like plastic, them creating a group of volunteers who take these bins to Santa Fe to be recycled. No trash will be left behind, as we really need to act and take this global environmental crisis seriously!
- Creating more pollinator gardens around town.
- Creating a giant pollinator garden in the road median strips of dirt.
- Creating a Monarch Waystation garden around town.
- Creating a Wildlife Habitat.
- Planting milkweed for Monarch butterflies around town.
- Having Dr. Ubelacker, a scientist who's passion is cactuses, come and talk about the pollinator flowers.
- Making pollinator "hotels" for youth to take home.
- Planting trees around town.
- Native plant gardening workshop with Miguel Santistevan
- Creating recycling stations/bins around Taos for trash that can't be recycled in Taos like plastic, them creating a group of volunteers who take these bins to Santa Fe to be recycled. No trash will be left behind, as we really need to act and take this global environmental crisis seriously!
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP MONARCHS?
Plant Native MilkweedThis is the easiest and most important way to help! Raising Monarchs is another activity that you can do, however planting milkweed is even better! The decline of milkweed is the biggest cause of the monarch population decline. Milkweed is extremely important to Monarchs because the plant is their host plant. So by planting milkweed, you're already doing god's work. Learn more about how to grow it:
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Create a Waystation GardenA waystation garden is a place for Monarchs to recharge during their journey, and lay eggs, and a place to stay safe. It's like a little mini habitat for them. In your garden, include native nectar flowers from your area. Making a waystation garden not only helps other pollinators like bees, hummingbirds, but it makes your house look pretty! Learn how to make a waystation garden:
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Combat Climate ChangeClimate Change is dangerously affecting the Monarch migration. With fluctuating temperatures, the Monarch's natural cycles become disrupted, exposing them to temperature threats and other possibilities. Fluctuating temperatures also affects Milkweed and the trees that Monarchs hibernate on. We can all do our part in combating Climate change and doing our best to leave a good mark on this Earth.
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Post your Monarch sightings (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly) to iNaturalist!
SCIENTISTS NEED YOUR HELP
Very little information is available about where in New Mexico Monarchs are living. This project helps scientists better understand how the Monarch uses the Rio Grande area during its lifecycle.
Download the iNaturalist app or visit their website. Create an account and then go to the "Monarchs Along the Rio Grande in New Mexico" project. Post your Monarch sightings on this project. Everyone is invited to participate!
This project is sponsored by the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
Download the iNaturalist app or visit their website. Create an account and then go to the "Monarchs Along the Rio Grande in New Mexico" project. Post your Monarch sightings on this project. Everyone is invited to participate!
This project is sponsored by the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
Photo credits: Florida Museum of Natural History
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