Volunteer group outlines Oak Street butterfly garden to boost monarchs and community

Paul Beggs, who identified himself as chairman/president of the Friends of the Monarch Butterfly Club, presented the council with a plan to create a community butterfly garden at Oak Street Park.

Beggs said monarch butterflies have declined sharply since the 1990s and that "butterflies are really in trouble," citing loss of milkweed as the primary driver. He described monarchs as pollinators and ecosystem indicators, outlined the species’ multi‑generation migration, and said the last, migratory generation lives several months and drives the long range movement between Mexico and Canada.

The Crestwood volunteer group has more than 100 members and about 35 active gardeners who built a neighborhood plot after negotiating with an HOA. Beggs said the Oak Street site now has a water meter, an irrigation trench, delivered woodchips and initial plant/soil procurement by city staff. The planned layout is seven 4‑foot‑wide dirt raised beds with walking paths; Beggs said the group hopes to begin planting in March–May.

Beggs asked the council and community for volunteers and potential small donations if volunteer labor falls short. "We need 10 or 15 more," he said, adding the Club will offer plot stewardship and instructional support for novice gardeners. He also identified four Georgia‑native varieties of milkweed the project will try to establish.

Councilmembers praised the Crestwood effort and suggested partnerships with nearby schools and programs to involve students. Jessica Martin of the Downtown Development Authority and others in the audience urged outreach and community participation.

The city’s next step will be volunteer recruitment and coordination with staff on irrigation and materials; Beggs said he will return with further plans as planting begins. The presentation was informational; no formal council action was required or requested at the time of the presentation.