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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal">As with so much of Xerces work, habitat revolves around native plants. In the case of this initiative, it is milkweeds. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">This morning a collaboration of monarch scientists, conservation groups, and farmers sent a letter to President Obama asking that he follow through on the pledge to protect monarch butterflies made with Mexican President Enrique Peņa Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper at their recent trilateral summit by launching a multi-agency initiative to restore habitat for monarch butterflies on public and private lands. The letter was also sent to <span style="color:black;background:white">the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, who direct five federal agencies that can implement this work: the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Farm Service Agency, and Bureau of Land Management.</span> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">To read the letter, click on <a href="http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Monarch-Recovery-Initiative-letter.pdf">http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Monarch-Recovery-Initiative-letter.pdf</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">To read the media release, visit:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/2014/04/14/scientists-farmers-and-educators-ask-the-president-and-secretaries-of-agriculture-and-the-interior-to-jump-start-recovery-of-monarch-butterflies/">http://www.xerces.org/2014/04/14/scientists-farmers-and-educators-ask-the-president-and-secretaries-of-agriculture-and-the-interior-to-jump-start-recovery-of-monarch-butterflies/</a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Today is also a day of contemplation and action to protect monarchs, organized by Make Way for monarchs. For information, see <a href="http://makewayformonarchs.org/i/">http://makewayformonarchs.org/i/</a>. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Thanks!</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">Matthew</p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal">________</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Matthew Shepherd</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">, Communications Director<b></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Protecting the Life that Sustains Us</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Stay in touch: </span><b><span style="color:red"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/"><span style="color:red;text-decoration:none">xerces.org</span></a></span></b> <b><span style="color:#17365d"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Xerces-Society/193182577358618"><span style="color:#17365d;text-decoration:none">Facebook</span></a></span></b> <b><span style="color:#984806"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/enewsletters/"><span style="color:#984806;text-decoration:none">E-newsletter</span></a></span></b> <b><span style="color:#0070c0"><a href="https://twitter.com/xerces_society"><span style="text-decoration:none">Twitter</span></a></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">628 NE Broadway, Ste 200, Portland, OR 97232-1324, USA</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Tel: (503) 232-6639 ext. 110; Toll free: 1-855-232 6639 ext. 110; Cell: (503) 807-1577</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:#0070c0"><a href="mailto:mdshepherd@xerces.org"><span style="color:#0070c0">mdshepherd@xerces.org</span></a> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. To join the Society, make a donation, or read about our work, please visit <span style="color:#0070c0"><a href="http://www.xerces.org/"><span style="color:#0070c0">www.xerces.org</span></a></span>.</span></p>
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