Narciso Mendoza primary school in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, joins Escuelas con Alas to support monarch butterfly migration, Digi Mart USA News (Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico): In the city of Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico, a primary school has taken an innovative approach to supporting the conservation of the monarch butterfly. Narciso Mendoza school has become a vital point along the migratory route of this species by joining Escuelas con Alas, a program designed to transform schools into shelters for pollinating insects.
Narciso Mendoza school becomes a monarch butterfly shelter
The program, supported by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), was announced on October 13. One of its most innovative aspects is that students will document the passage of butterflies through their garden, contributing to migration records.
The initiative is part of the Correo Real Program, managed by the civil organization PROFAUNA.
Narciso Mendoza is the first school to receive direct support from Conanp, through collaboration with the SEP-Semarnat Committee, which integrates education and the environment. The project goes beyond planting flowers.
It includes creating habitats, school gardens and waste management. Achievements will be recognized with environmental compliance medals, which will be displayed in a special medal case to motivate the school community.
The project also aims to include nature in the traditional school curriculum. According to Conanp, this citizen science practice allows students to contribute meaningfully to science through observation and data recording.
Conanp describes the effort as a strategic advance that brings knowledge from protected natural areas into urban settings, bringing conservation closer to city residents.
The program is backed by a committee composed of Semarnat, Conanp, Conafor, Profepa and the SEP. This institutional support is made possible by an agreement between the SEP and Semarnat, led by Secretary Alicia Bárcena.
The project’s motto, “Manos a la tierra, alas al viento, cultivando el respeto por cada ser vivo desde la escuela” (Hands to the earth, wings to the wind, cultivating respect for every living being from school), captures its essence.
Conanp manages protection of the monarch along its extensive 4,000-kilometer migration, highlighting the importance of these “biological gas stations” in urban areas. In the broader context, the 2025-2026 winter season was positive, with a 64% increase in forest occupation by monarch colonies.
However, the species faces challenges such as climate change, which threatens to alter its habitat.
The official Conanp statement leaves some questions unanswered, including the number of participating students and the specific types of plants that will be used. Nonetheless, the project aligns with other environmental education and school garden initiatives, promoting hands-on learning and respect for nature.
