By Friends of Bandelier
“When [Jenna Stanek] moved to Los Alamos in 2018 to work at Los Alamos National Laboratory as a biologist, Jenna soon noted that egg-laden milkweeds would be affected by mowing operations. She took immediate action, collecting and saving the eggs, taking them to the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) where she initially fostered them in a cage. She then transferred the eggs into an outdoor enclosure hatching the butterflies and releasing them. Since then, she has been involved at PEEC on a continuing basis, engaging the community in Monarch recovery efforts. The Monarch is being considered for Federal Protection under the Endangered Species Act. A ruling is expected in December of 2025.
Jenna has been active in efforts to save butterfly eggs and habitat, establishing a permanent outdoor butterfly cage and then a pollinator garden at the Los Alamos Nature Center for PEEC. She has conducted research on and monitored Monarch migration. In Los Alamos, Jenna documented Monarch and milkweed locations in relation to areas of local mowing to protect them and helped to establish Best Management Practices for mowing. She has provided significant educational outreach at PEEC, elementary schools, and at events such as the National Pollinator Week at Bandelier, where she will demonstrate Monarch recovery techniques this June.
Jenna is a founding member of the Bee City Los Alamos and continues to serve on its committee. Through Bee City, she has worked with the county to derive a species list and seed mix of appropriate native pollinator plants. She is a part of Bee City’s iNaturalist project to document native local pollinators and encourages others to participate. Jenna’s efforts have shown positive results in our community and beyond, both long term and sometimes within the same season. During peak butterfly season in summer, Jenna will often be at PEEC either tending the milkweed gardens or providing community outreach. During the late summer and early fall, she volunteers at elementary schools. Not only does she care for the gardens, fostering the success of the milkweed, she cares for the children of the community teaching them in an impactful way. Jenna makes learning fun and lasting. The kids are excited! Imagine their joy and fulfillment in caring for eggs, fostering their growth into caterpillars and chrysalides, then eventually being part of their release as butterflies. Jenna is equipping and motivating young people to go forth as enthusiastic stewards of conservation and the environment and teaching them that each of us can have an impact.
Jenna is passionate about protecting Monarchs and all wildlife. Her outreach and ongoing education in their regard and her mentoring of future stewards, have been heartfelt and thorough. She asks that we share that she is hopeful about the ultimate success of Monarch butterfly conservation if we all work together; Monarch butterflies are one of those species where even a small local planting of native plants including milkweed can have a big impact
The Friends of Bandelier, founded in 1988 by local naturalist Dorothy Hoard, provides funding for stewardship, education, and conservation projects at Bandelier National Monument. The Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award was established after her passing to honor individuals who demonstrate effective stewardship of the natural or cultural resource of Bandelier and the Pajarito Plateau. For stories of previous award recipients, and for information on the Friends of Bandelier, visit their website at www.bandelierfriends.org.
Plaque Honoring Dorothy Hoard Added to Monarch Exhibit at Los Alamos Nature Center | Photo Credit: Casey Lundberg
This article was featured in the Summer 2025 Edition of Nature Notes, PEEC’s quarterly newsletter mailed to members. PEEC activities and events are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and gift shop merchandise. Annual memberships start at $35. To learn more, visit peecnature.org/support/membership/.