New Jersey Statutes 13:1B-15.171. Findings, declarations relative to the “Milkweed for Monarchs” program
Terms Used In New Jersey Statutes 13:1B-15.171
- population: when used in any statute, shall be taken to mean the population as shown by the latest Federal census effective within this State, and shall be construed as synonymous with "inhabitants. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
- State: extends to and includes any State, territory or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia and the Canal Zone. See New Jersey Statutes 1:1-2
a. Every autumn, millions of monarch butterflies migrate south from Canada and the United States to Mexico, stopping at sites along the way, like New Jersey, to feed and reproduce.
b. Reports indicate that migrating monarch butterflies are in “grave danger,” as their colonies in Mexico now occupy the smallest area since records began in 1993.
c. A major cause of decline in the monarch butterfly population is the widespread loss of a plant called milkweed, which monarch butterfly larvae rely on for food.
d. Once widespread throughout the United States, milkweed has seen its range fall 58 percent between 1999 and 2010.
e. The “Milkweed for Monarchs” program utilizes public and private help to plant milkweed in stormwater management basins throughout the State, thereby providing monarch butterflies with the resources they need to sustain their spectacular migration.
f. Swamp milkweed, which is native to New Jersey wetlands, is perfectly suited to stormwater management basins because it is water retentive and, thus, can help reduce flooding.
L.2017, c.252, s.2.