Bill > A01819

This bill establishes a comprehensive monarch butterfly preservation plan that requires the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to take feasible actions to conserve monarch butterflies and their critical migration habitats. The bill is motivated by the dramatic decline of monarch butterfly populations, which have dropped from approximately one billion to just 35 million since 1990, a 90% reduction largely attributed to habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, and other environmental challenges. The proposed plan empowers the department to implement conservation strategies such as habitat restoration on state-owned lands, educational programs, and voluntary partnerships with private landowners, federal and state agencies, nonprofits, and academic institutions. Specific conservation actions include restoring native milkweed and nectar plant species, controlling invasive weeds and pests, managing pest control practices to minimize harm to butterflies, creating winter habitats with diverse tree species and microclimate considerations, and leveraging partnerships to enhance butterfly habitats in various land types like residential landscapes, agricultural areas, transportation corridors, and conservation easements. By focusing on monarch butterfly preservation, the bill aims not only to protect these important pollinators but also to support broader ecological and agricultural ecosystem health.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1819