Gwyn:

In recent years, the rise of gentrification has made the gap between humans and nature grow, causing animals and humans to be wary of and hurt each other both directly and indirectly. Monarch Garden is an intervention: an installation for the sides of buildings that acts as an urban butterfly garden. It consists of numerous wooden posts that are stuck into a pegboard-like structure that can be placed on the sides of buildings. The posts create places for plants to rest on the side of the building allowing for Monarch butterflies to have a place to rest during their long migrations south during the fall. It also acts a as a sort of art installation making it not only pleasing for passers by but also for the creatures that currently lack a habitat in urban environments. The goal of this intervention is to bring Monarch Butterflies back into the lives of Bostonians and help them interact with these creatures more consistently in their everyday lives. It also aims to introduce Monarchs to urban environments in a positive way and create ways for them to coexist with humanity.