Foley is welcoming monarch butterflies back to the Alabama Gulf Coast with a special event in May and plans for a monarch conservatory.
The city and Riviera Utilities will hold the first Welcome Back Monarchs celebration Saturday, May 9. The event will begin at 9 a.m. at the Foley Civic Center.
Participants will learn about monarch butterflies that pass through the area during their spring and fall migrations each year. Pollinator gardens planted with native plant species along the route provide nourishment for monarchs and other insects and their offspring.
The event will begin with a presentation by Carmen Flammini of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Flammini will discuss monarch migration, the role of the Alabama Gulf Coast in the migration and the need for pollinator gardens along the route.
The Foley Public Library will also host crafts and activities for children during the event.
After the presentation, participants can migrate outside for guided tours of the Riviera Utilities Native Pollinator Garden. The garden is planted with species such as native milkweed, which is an important food source for monarchs and their caterpillars.
In preparation for the Welcome Back Monarchs event, Riviera Utilities, Flammini and members of Baldwin County Master Gardeners have been expanding the garden with additional plantings of milkweed and other native flora.
At the garden, milkweed plants will be given away for residents to plant at their homes and create their own pollinator gardens.
The city is also developing plans for a monarch conservatory at the Graham Creek Nature Preserve. The Foley City Council recently approved a proposal for civil engineering needed to develop the greenhouse facility.
The indoor conservatory will house several butterfly species in addition to the monarchs.
In addition to providing a space where butterflies can grow and breed, Graham Creek is also developing plans to grow and distribute native milkweed to provide more support for monarchs and other pollinators.
In 2025, Foley was named the first Monarch City in Alabama in recognition of plans for the conservatory and work being done to protect butterflies and their habitats.
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