The Impact of Complimentary Wildflower Seed Packets Compared to Milkweed Plants on Monarch Butterfly Habitat Creation and Conservation Engagement

To offset monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) habitat loss, conservation organizations encourage planting monarch-friendly plants and often distribute seed packets and plants to provide materials for habitat creation. However, there is little known on the outcomes of these complimentary materials, despite the opportunity to measure direct conservation action. Six public outreach events hosted by Oklahoma City Zoo occurred from 2016 to 2023. Participants at each event were invited to pledge to plant monarch habitat and in exchange received complimentary materials. Participants were surveyed 2-3 months post-event to follow-up on outcomes of materials distributed as well as measure monarch butterfly knowledge post-event. Visitors reported planting milkweed plants at higher rates than seeds and visitors' post-event knowledge of monarchs was high. This study demonstrates that overall return on investment, measured by pro-environmental behavior, is lower when purchasing seeds compared to purchasing milkweed plants. Overall, outreach programs that distribute complimentary seeds/plants have the potential to create habitat and create positive conservation action outcomes.