Bringing Back Monarchs One Ranch at a Time

Matt Dolkas - MALT

By Matt Dolkas, Senior Manager, Marketing

September 25, 2023

When he was growing up in the coastal California village of Bolinas in the 1980s, Ole Schell remembers, the monarchs that returned each fall to their overwintering sites seemed “endless.” They clustered in the eucalyptus and pine groves around town, sometimes in swarms so big that—Schell now recalls with embarrassment—he and his friends would shake the butterflies from the branches and watch them fly off by the hundreds.

More stories like this:

Cowboy in Marin County looking for cows on Mount Burdell.

Why Some Ranchers Still Use Horses

July 10, 2025

Why ranchers still use horses: first cattle roundup experience reveals the science behind cowboy tradition.

Read More

From Our Volunteers: Why We’re Passionate About Land Conservation

July 9, 2025

Meet the passionate volunteers driving MALT’s mission forward—from creating foundations for future generations to preserving Marin’s unique agricultural ecosystem.

Read More

A Purposeful Retirement Begins with a First Gift to the Land

July 7, 2025

Wisconsin farm roots inspire Bay Area retiree’s first gift to agricultural land preservation.

Read More