If you’ve been involved in Eastern North American monarch butterfly tagging or conservation efforts in the Smoky Mountains, chances are you’ve heard the name Wanda DeWaard.
One time, I saw her kitchen counter covered with monarch chrysalises from caterpillars she had saved from milkweed that was about to mowed. (She’s made friends with farmers who call her before they mow their fields.) It was my first time seeing a monarch chrysalis in person, and seeing so many up close bowled me over. So much shimmering, delicate beauty brought tears to my eyes.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Wanda’s three decades of passion for monarch education and conservation is unparalleled. She’s the reason we have such an exceptional volunteer citizen science program in the park, where people can learn about monarchs and participate in tagging them for science during their fall migration. If you don’t know the story of the monarch migration, it’s awe-inspiring and offers a way for us humans to feel wonder and awe at what science hasn’t completely “figured out,” also providing a humbling example of resilience in nature.
It was truly an honor to write a feature on Wanda for Hellbender Press. Scientifically, we know so much more about monarch migration and breeding patterns in the Smokies because of this program. If you haven’t had a chance to catch and tag these creatures, it’s something to put on your bucket list, especially if you have kids.
Élan Young 