With Continue the Flight! our hope is to further engage, connect and inspire others to learn more about the conservation of monarch habitat and ways to get involved!
This video seeks to inspire landowners of all property sizes to create habitat and plant native species that support monarchs. This video features Marci Lininger (Founding Partner, Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative), Sarah Stankavich (Wildlife Technician, Ohio Division of Wildlife), Joel Hunt (Highway Beautification and Pollinator Habitat Program, Ohio Department of Transportation), and Nate Douridas (Farm Manager, Molly Caren Agricultural Center).
The video was created by a team of graduating seniors (Katie Fackler, Lizzie Wilson, Sarah Von Staden, Tara Allen, Caroline Miller and Will Babb) in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University. Lizzie also appears in the video.
This visually engaging Monarch Conservation StoryMap showcases resources to teach Ohioans about the monarch butterfly, its endangerment, and how we can help the butterfly and other pollinator habitats in their yards and communities.
Meet the ENR 4900 Capstone Team
Katie Fackler
Katie is a graduating senior studying Environmental Science with a specialization in Ecosystem Restoration. She is the team lead for the project and is incredibly proud of the resources that the team has built to support monarch conservation, and thankful for the friendships and connections formed throughout the course. Katie plans to pursue a career in public environmental education resources and science communication after graduation.
Will Babb
Will is a graduating senior majoring in Environmental Policy and Decision Making combined with a Professional Writing minor. He is part of the project's video team and is excited to see the reach and impact the project has on Ohioans and monarchs. After graduation, Will plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail before continuing to serve Ohio's wildlife, people, and monarchs through the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
Tara Allen
Tara is a graduating senior majoring in Environmental Science with a French minor. She is a member of the project's StoryMap team and is very happy to be providing Ohioans with resources and information that they can use to help support monarch conservation. Tara plans to take a gap year after graduation to pursue internship and research opportunities, after which she will continue her education by pursuing a graduate degree in a field related to environmental science.
Lizzie Wilson
Lizzie is a graduating senior majoring in Environmental Science. She has always loved butterflies and has raised monarchs since she was little. As part of the honors program, she wrote her thesis on pollinator habitat management. Lizzie helped in the creation of the video and the StoryMap and is proud to play a part in raising awareness about the monarch's plight and how to help. After graduation, Lizzie is excited to move to Delaware for an internship at a botanical garden called the Mt. Cuba Center.
Caroline Miller
Caroline is a graduating senior majoring in Environmental Science with a specialization in ecosystem restoration. She is a member of the project's video team, and has very much enjoyed working with the rest of the team to inspire real change and progress in the conservation of pollinator habitat. After graduation, Caroline plans to spend a gap year working and gaining field experience before she returns to school to pursue an environmental graduate degree.
Sarah Von Staden
Sarah is a graduating senior majoring in Environmental Science with a specialization in Ecosystem Restoration. She worked as the Video Team Lead, and is excited to see the impact of the educational material that the team has created. After graduation, Sarah plans to move to Texas and continue her education through field work and on the job learning, before attending graduate school.