• Primary Sponsor - This project is funded by a generous donation from Salinas, CA resident, Helen Johnson

    Helen supports the count and tagging work conducted by Ventana Wildlife Society and additionally funds the installation of interpretive signs in Pacific Grove and other important monarch sites in Monterey County.

  • Additional Sponsors:

    - California State Parks

    California State Parks funds the investigation of microclimate stations at three monarch overwintering sites in Monterey County.

Helen Johnson

Other conservation related sponsorships by donor Helen Johnson:

  • Monarch Population Dynamics Conference, Lawrence, Kansas
  • Western Monarch Symposium, Fremont, California
  • “The Monarch Butterfly in Western North America” – a Cal Poly video production
  • The Western Monarch Symposium (2006), Pacific Grove, CA
  • Bats Conservation International
  • Scholarships for the bat workshop conducted by The Western Section of the Wildlife Society
  • California Central Coast Bat Conservation Project coordinated by D. Johnston, HT Harvey and Associates
  • Saint Anne's Mission, Klagetoh, Arizona, supporting the Navajo people


Recognizing Helen Johnson: Citizen Scientist
by: Jim Davis, Executive Director of Ventana Wildlife Society

Helen Johnson is an extraordinary person of great commitment and energy. She has been called a citizen scientist.

As a citizen she feels that this is a world that needs help and she is there to see that important things get done to help it. One visit to her home and you know that this is a person who lives a humble life and has commited herself to the improving the natural world. Birds, butterflies and native plants to support them abound in ther yard and home.

As a scientist Helen has funded an effort with VWS to study the monarch butterfly. She engages as many people as she can to get as much done as possible, and has provided staff with training and equipment for the project. In addition to supporting, Helen provides follow-up on what is done and how it is done. She is always one or two steps ahead of the rest of the world. We need more people like Helen Johnson; our world is a better place because of her. Thanks Helen, it is nice to know someone like you. --Jim


The research team shares an enjoyable moment with Ventana Wildlife Society Executive Director Kelly Sorenson and the project sponsor Helen Johnson in Salinas.




last updated: 1 November 2007