Those to the east of the Rocky Mountains find residence in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico and those west of the Rocky Mountains reside along the Californian coast (“Migration and Overwintering”). But within the last two decades, more than 90% of the monarch butterfly population has vanished. Research done by the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and Iowa State University has ascribed this decline to the widespread use of glyphosate herbicides, predominantly Roundup Ready, attacking the butterfly’s habitat: milkweed (Pleasants 135). The herbicide Roundup Ready, produced by the agrochemical company Monsanto, is a leading herbicide widely used by corporations and private entities; traces of this chemical can be found all over the United States in farm croplands, local gardens, even the grounds of New York City’s Metropolitan Museum and Central Park (Lenzer). The herbicide unfortunately kills off the only weed that the monarch butterfly will lay their eggs on. From 1999 to 2009, there has been a noticeable 60% decrease in the amount of milkweed plants (Pleasants …show more content…
Nonetheless, with the support from larger organizations, the developing business ENCORE 3 can potentially expand their market into the United States. A non-governmental organization, The Nature Conservancy values corporate accountability to preserving nature and wildlife through means of reconstructing business practices and raising awareness. The Conservancy has a Private Lands Conservation Program that procures and protects environmentally sensitive land; these lands are then offered to prospective landowners who work towards preserving the land and possess an intention to better the environment. Currently, the Conservancy has acquired over 15 million acres up for opportunity in the United States (“Private Lands