The IMMP is a national initiative to monitor monarch populations and habitat throughout their breeding range. A group of scientists from federal agencies, university and non-governmental organizations formed the Monarch Conservation Science Partnership (MCSP) in 2009 modeling monarch population trends, potential threats, establishing population targets and habitat goals, in addition to developing conservation tools. The MCSP designed the IMMP in 2015 introducing protocols to collect habitat and monarch data at the same time. (Monarch Joint Venture IMMP Field Guidebook, 2018)
The primary goal of IMMP is to evaluate the monarchs and their habitat to inform those involved with the conservation efforts of the monarch. To collect the massive amount of data required cannot be completed by researchers alone, so the IMMP has called upon citizen scientists and land owners to help in the collection of these vital statistics. To collect information from citizen scientists and land owners, the IMMP uses a spatially balanced sampling method applying a series of protocols and field activities designed to achieve the following objectives;
- Obtain and distribute info about monarch habitat conservations
- Provide geographical and ecological info, updating population and habitat models
- Track long term changes in the distribution and abundance of the monarch population and their habitat (Monarch Joint Venture IMMP Field Guidebook, 2018)
For more information about this program please visit the Monarch Joint Venture website.
I completed the IMMP training for Monarch Joint Venture by attending a two day workshop last weekend to learn the process and protocols for this monitoring program. I am working out my site details with my coordinator and will provide updates of my field work as I work through the IMMP protocols and data collection processes. I’m excited to a part of this great program and am looking forward to monitoring my site.
Stay tuned-