Flyway Sign Installation at Lincoln Memorial Garden, Spring 2025

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Springfield Civic Garden Club Presentation at Route 66 Experience, Illinois State Fairgrounds

Springfield, IL June 5, 2023 - Springfield Civic Garden Club members Susan Helm and Jerry Morgan spoke to club members about the Monarch Flyway initiative and the pollinator garden at the fairgrounds.

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Chatham DAR Patriot Pollinator Garden Dedication Ceremony

Chatham, IL May 29, 2023 - DAR members dedicated Veterans Memorial Square park pollinator garden on Memorial Day

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Shoutout! From our new co-chair Susan Helm, in Springfield, posted on 5/2/22:

Fun morning mulching the pollinator garden bump outs at Sixth and Adams as part of the Route 66 Monarch Fly Way. Special thanks to Brenda Larison and Susan Taylor. thanks to public works for the mulch.

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Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration

Outdoor educator and field researcher Sara Dykman made history when she became the first person to bicycle along­side monarch butterflies on their storied annual migration—a round-trip adventure that included three countries and more than 10,000 miles. Equally remarkable, she did it solo, on a bike cobbled together from used parts. Her panniers were recycled buckets.

$5.00 of every sale of this book from the Sly Fox Bookstore will go to support the efforts of the Route 66 Monarch Flyway.

Release date: April 13, 2021

The Slyfox Bookstore
123 N. Springfield Street
Virden, IL 62690
(217) 965-3641
https://www.slyfoxbookstore.com

 

There are several additional ongoing projects along the route including one at the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie near Wilmington.  This is the northern anchor point of the corridor.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has been working to remove invasive species, such as common teasel and phragmites, along US Route 53 both north and south of the Tallgrass Prairie.  IDOT is working to clear the road right-of-way of these invasive species to help prevent them from spreading into the prairie.

The Litchfield Route 66 Prairie is another project underway, located south of Springfield. This is the southern anchor point of the corridor.  This project is a maintained prairie remnant that includes a section of the original Route 66 roadbed.

A volunteer group called the Natural Area Guardians has been managing the site and has recently worked with IDOT to install an ADA accessible path and parking lot. They will be working with other partners including the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center to continue to make Litchfield a destination for Route 66 tourists as well as prairie enthusiasts.

UPDATES:

Elkhart held their Pollinator Week & Elkhart Route 66 Monarch Flyway event on June 12, 2021. Congrats and thank you to the Village of Elkhart! Read about their event last weekend and what they’re doing to help Monarchs along the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway - https://newherald.news/elkhart-celebrates-pollinator-week-with-monarch-flyway-on-route-p17084-103.htm

City of Litchfield Tourism sent us updated photos and a video on the Rt. 66 Prairie at Litchfield. She got a great picture of a Monarch while she was there! Photos and video courtesy Litchfield Tourism.

Several projects are in various stages of planning and implementation, and, as long as they benefit the monarch, they are a welcome part of the effort. We kept the definition broad in scope to allow room for creativity of events and on-the-ground efforts. All plantings or restorations are required to use native plants suitable for the site and include milkweed. In several locations, there are discussions about the installation of trails along the historic route, community events that could be focused on the monarch, restoration of public areas and unique collaborations. We are always looking for new ideas and new people to get involved as we build a network along Route 66!