Monarch Butterfly: Endangered Phenomenon, Not Species

In a post earlier this week, I erred when I said the Monarch Butterfly was an endangered species.

It is an endangered biological phenomenon because its migratory lands are threatened, according to the World Wildlife Fund - - a point directly relevant to planning underway to allow construction on the County Grounds that could effect some known Monarch Butterfly habitat.

The designations and terminologies are obviously related, but I need to be as accurate as possible, so I am setting the record straight.

As to the issue:

The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors, having already agreed to sell 89 acres on the County Grounds to UWM, could decide next week on a development plan designed to allow both UWM's construction on the grounds to go forward and preserve the Monarch habitat.

But there are doubts that both can be achieved, given the size of the UWM project - - a new engineering school and innovation center - - along with roads and ancillary development in support of the school and center by businesses to follow.

Until the County can get a true preservation plan in place, there should be no rush to formalize the plan. Too much is at stake.