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Research Station Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Please contact us in advance of your visit. Click Here to Contact Us

Planting Forward Resources


Our Vision

To create a movement in Linn County to restore native plants and trees on land that has experienced significant ecological loss, fostering a vibrant and resilient ecosystem that supports a wide variety of plants and animals while enriching the community’s connection to nature.

Our Mission

To educate and empower landowners with the knowledge and resources to restore habitats, ensuring the survival of monarchs and countless other species. We aim to create a model for other communities to follow in their conservation efforts.

Restore Native Habitat

Partnering with ISU researchers, MRP’s Pollinator Zones™ are committed to expand native habitat for pollinators on public and private lands in Linn County, Iowa. Learn more.

Save the Monarchs

Our objective is to develop Monarch Zones® (MZ)—homes, cities, and counties that are committed to our goal of repopulating the butterfly population. We have established close to 200 Monarch Zones in and around Linn County, Iowa. Learn more.

Starting Locally, then Expanding

The MRP is working with the eastern Iowa governments and citizens to establish monarch and habitat models that can be replicated in other communities. Learn more.

Recent News

Rearing Monarch Butterflies Naturally in a Protected Environment
150 150 Monarch Research Project

Update of a Monarch 6×6 BioTent on a naturally growing plot of…

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Monarchs in BioTent
Rearing on Autonomous Plots at MRS
768 1024 Monarch Research Project

Guest post by Jabe Gonder, MRS Summer Research Intern. 6×6 milkweed plot…

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Orlan Love Prairie Dedication
Orlan Love Prairie Dedicated
1024 681 Monarch Research Project

Orlan Love in the Orlan Love Prairie, Squaw Creek State Park. On…

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