Tuesday’s trip to Goleta to visit the Coronado Butterfly Preserve in the Ellwood Grove proved to be educational as well as enjoyable for our primary students and staff. Monarchs are the only butterfly that can travel as many as 3,000 miles to winter-over in several areas along the California coast. The Coronado Preserve is the largest winter site for these amazing insects. Hanging in clusters they rest in the eucalyptus trees. Learning the importance of protecting open space for wildlife, native plants, outdoor education and hiking trails was impressed upon by the docents for the future of our natural resources. Ellwood grove was planted over 100 years ago, the monarchs find this a perfect place to winter-over every year before traveling back to northern areas to lay their eggs as a new cycle begins.

information and directions to the preserve:  click on Monarch

double click the images for a better look!

Goleta docent

detailed life cycle facts

estimated 1000 monarchs hanging in clusters

view of Santa Cruz Island from the bluff

hiking in the preserve