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About
Miles for Monarchs is an online campaign designed to engage participants in personal wellness while supporting monarch conservation. Join individually or with a team, track your mileage, get out into nature, and learn from conservation experts at the Monarch Joint Venture.
Each spring, North American monarchs embark on their remarkable journey from overwintering sites in Mexico and California to their summer breeding grounds. In the fall, monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains undertake an astounding migration spanning up to 3,000 miles to central Mexico, while those west of the Rockies migrate primarily to the California coast. Miles for Monarchs participants will attempt to collectively travel as many 3,000-mile migrations as possible during our summer and fall campaigns. The campaign will take place from June 9 to July 13, 2025.
We welcome all groups to get involved! Check out this document if your company is interested in pledging to support monarch conservation through miles for monarchs.
FAQs
The Basics
The Monarch Joint Venture is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect monarchs and their migration by collaborating with partners to deliver habitat conservation, education, and science across the monarch range.
More information can be found on the MJV website.
Your registration and donation support MJV's work to conserve the monarch butterfly, its migration, and other pollinators. Donations support our habitat conservation, science, education, and partnership programming.
With questions regarding Miles for Monarchs, you can contact our Outreach Coordinator at outreach@monarchjointventure.org.
Registration + Making a Team
Participants of Miles for Monarchs gain access to weekly monarch educational material, the Miles for Monarchs Facebook group page where you can share personal and team progress, entry into the weekly miles prize giveaway and competition, and access to discounted Monarch Joint Venture store merchandise. Participants are also given the opportunity to share with other participants from around the U.S. and Canada, participate in various engagement opportunities, and learn about monarchs and conservation.
The course outline is as follows (each week also includes a fun activity for kids):
Week 1: Monarch biology, lifecycle, and threats to monarchs
Week 2: Annual lifecycle and migration
Week 3: Monarch community science
Week 4: Monarch-friendly habitat
Week 5: Conservation status
Details on the competition and giveaway:
Must submit miles weekly for eligibility. Two random participants will be chosen weekly to receive a miles sticker pack and bookmarks. At the of the campaign, the top 5 people with the most tracked miles will win the competition. They will each be sent a miles sticker pack and a Milkweed, Monarchs, and More book.
To create a team, a designated team leader must register first and create your team name. Once your team leader has successfully registered, the rest of your team may register separately.
Yes! New additions throughout the year are welcome. If you have a new team member, simply have that participant register. When prompted during registration, they should choose your team name. Upon completion of registration, they will automatically be added to your team.
Engagement Opportunities
Walk, run, roll, bike, paddle, swim, anything self-propelled. All miles are good, whether on a treadmill, in your snow shoes, or on a local bike trail. Log your miles in the portal and receive weekly progress on how far you've gone.
Learn more in the 2025 Miles for Monarchs Participant Packet.
Miles for Monarchs is available wherever you are! Teams, additionally, do not need to be in the same location! This may be a fun opportunity for those separated by geography to participate in an event together.
Monarch Joint Venture strives to make Miles for Monarchs an inclusive and enjoyable experience. If you use a mobility device, you can still track the distance you travel, whether self-propelled or motorized. If you have questions or need further accommodations, please reach out to our Outreach Coordinator at outreach@monarchjointventure.org.
Convert different activities, such as yoga or gardening, into miles!
Step 1. Type your activity into an activity converter like MoveSpring. The converter will give you the number of "steps per minute" based on your activity.
Step 2. Multiply your "steps per minute" by the "number of minutes you did that activity" to give you your "total steps."
Step 3. Divide your "total steps" by 2,100. This will give you the miles traveled. (On average, there are 2,100 steps in one mile).
For example: Casey spends 30 minutes gardening. Gardening is 80 steps per minute. The equation is then 80 steps x 30 min = 2,400 total steps, then 2,400 total steps/2,100 steps = 1.14 miles.
"steps per minute" x "number of minutes you did the activity" = "totals steps"... "total steps" x 2,100 steps = "miles traveled"
Yes! When you post, follow and tag the @MonarchJointVenture and use the hashtags #milesformonarchs and #monarchjointventure.
Here are links to images you can use to promote Miles for Monarchs are social media:
Facebook Post Photos
Facebook Cover Photos
Instagram Post Photos
Absolutely! Pledging to match dollars for miles is a fantastic way to support monarch conservation and get involved with your community. You can check out the pledge tiers and benefits here: Miles for Monarchs Corporate Pledges. Please contact Rita Morris at outreach@monarchjointventure.org if you are interested or have any questions.