Celebrate the Summer Equinox by welcoming butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, moths, and more into our newly created pollinator garden at the Catskills Visitor Center—alongside renowned environmental activist, gardener, and butterfly expert Maraleen Manos-Jones.

Who is on the wing and what do they need? How can we help them? After an informative and inspiring powerpoint presentation, venture into the Catskill Center’s pollinator garden with Maraleen.

With over 50 years of experience as an award-winning environmental activist, author, educator, artist, and master gardener, Maraleen brings a unique perspective to the world of butterflies. In 1977, she became the first woman from the U.S. to discover the monarchs’ overwintering habitats in Mexico. She is an eyewitness to the profound changes in the monarch population, the challenges they face in every stage of their lives, and has worked to protect butterfly habitats both in Mexico and the States.

She has lectured at prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Yale, and the Royal Botanical Gardens, and her accomplishments include the 2022 Pollinator Advocate Award and leading efforts to end glyphosate spraying around Catskills reservoirs. Maraleen has also created public, private, and school butterfly gardens and authored The Spirit of Butterflies: Myth, Magic, and Art. Learn more about her inspiring work at www.spiritofbutterflies.com.

This event is FREE with a suggested donation of $10.00. Registration is required.

This program was created in partnership with Catskill Mountain Roots. Catskill Mountain Roots,organized by former Daily Freeman photographer Tania Barricklo, works to create community through gatherings, events, education and exploration of nature in the Catskill Mountains.