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Organization asks neighbors to help preserve more Monarch butterflies

Nebraska Monarch offers free plants to help butterflies eat and reproduce
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OMAHA, Neb — Creating more habitats for Monarch butterflies. One organization is hoping to spread the message about how native plants help our environment and give them out for free at Omaha South High School.

  • Nebraska Monarch's expo is on Saturday at Omaha South High School from 1 to 4 p.m.
  • The first 250 people will get free 6x10 foot pre-designed gardens
  • Video shows thousands of plants where butterflies reproduce and eat

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Monarch butterflies come from Michoacán, Mexico and fly right through our neighborhoods.

"It's a symbol of hope and it's a symbol of transformation," said Bob Gittin.

Gittin is passionate about butterflies and founded Nebraska Monarchs to help preserve them.

But over the years, he says it's become a challenge.

"There are hundreds and hundreds of species of plants that should be in our ground right here, that we've taken out and put turf grass in," said Gittin.

He's talking about Milkweeds, one out of the many plants butterflies need in order to eat and lay their eggs.

"Native plants have longer roots deeper roots they take in more pollution, store more carbon they also are able to store more water," he said.

To help these creatures, he and a team of volunteers are asking you to get involved; by planting one of the nearly seven thousand plants they have set up on these tables.

On Saturday Nebraska Monarch will host an expo at South High where it will give away 250 pre-designed 6x10 foot gardens for free.

An event where you can pick one of these up and talk with experts to learn about its importance to help nature's creatures.

The expo is open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Nebraska Monarchs will have nearly 7,000 plants to give away, and the first 250 people will get gardens for free.