California State Parks (CSP) manages more western monarch overwintering habitat than any other land manager in California, including at least 25% of the priority western monarch sites identified by the Xerces Society and partners. Thus, CSP plays an outsized role in the conservation of western monarchs, a particularly critical role during an era of significant monarch butterfly declines in both the western and eastern populations. Indeed, the western overwintering monarch population was proposed to be federally listed in December, 2024. To address declines, CSP partnered with the Xerces Society to develop over a dozen habitat assessments and management plans for priority monarch groves on CSP lands. These plans are currently directing management actions, including reducing invasive species, planting native nectar plants and trees, reducing aging and hazard trees, reducing fire risks, and monitoring western monarch populations. Current and future actions include the development of fuels management best practices and integration into management plans to meet state-wide biodiversity and wildfire resilience goals.

Dena Spatz is a Senior Wildlife Biologist within California State Park’s Natural Resources Division. Dena focuses on statewide wildlife management, particularly for at-risk species (e.g., monarch butterfly, snowy plover). Dena holds a PhD from UC Santa Cruz, previously worked for non-profits aimed at restoring islands through invasive species removals and seabird reintroductions, and recently served as the Biodiversity Coordinator for California Department of Fish and Wildlife.