W. Dean Eastman has generously donated a 40’ x 30’ Monarch butterfly garden for the Island Autism Center. W. Dean Eastman’s will grant $25,000 “to be used to establish a Monarch Way Station at an acceptable location on the premises of the Island Autism Center at Martha’s Vineyard or for some other purpose for the Monarch Joint Venture and the Island Autism Center to conserve and protect Monarch Butterflies and other pollinators across the United States.”
The garden will create a vital habitat for monarch butterflies while offering a beautiful and educational resource for the residents, campers and visitors at the Center.
The W. Dean Eastman Monarch Way Station will be in an area on the farm property with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day that is well-drained and protected from strong winds.
The garden will be planted with a variety of milkweed species – the only food source for monarch caterpillars – and nectar-producing plants that will provide food for adult butterflies. Nectar-producing plants include the New England Aster, Goldenrod, Blazing Star, and Purple Coneflower.
The W. Dean Eastman Monarch Way Station will provide a beautiful and educational resource for the residents, campers and visitors at the Island Autism Center. The garden will attract monarch butterflies and other pollinators, and it will help to raise awareness about the importance of these creatures. We look forward to the Monarch Way Station thriving for generations to come.