Canadian Pacific Railroad (CP), Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS), railcar lessor GATX Corporation, the Monterrey (Mexico) Metropolitan Rotary Club, and the North American Supply Chain Organization (NASCO) have launched The Save the Monarch Butterfly 60,000 Tree Challenge North American Boxcar Tour, whose raised funds will be used to plant 60,000 Oyamel fir trees at El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Michoacán, Mexico to help reestablish the monarch population. (Note: To learn more about how the Monarch Butterfly represents North American unity, click here.)
According to Railway Age, a crowd-funding QR code is being featured on the side of the “Monarch Mariposa Boxcar,” prepared by the GATX shop in Hearne, Texas. Starting this fall, the boxcar will stop at events in Windsor, Ontario; Chicago; Kansas City, Missouri; Laredo, Texas; Nuevo Laredo, Tamps.; Monterrey, Nuevo Leon; San Luis Potosi, S.L.P.; Morelia, Michoacán; and conclude at the El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary. In coordination with local Rotary clubs, these events “will generate awareness and raise funds to help save the butterfly,” the sponsoring organizations say. “This innovative environmental project is an example of our commitment of sustainability.”
“KCS is proud to work in partnership with CP, GATX, Rotary and NASCO to drive the 60,000 Tree Challenge,” said KCS President and CEO Patrick J. Ottensmeyer. “In addition, we are installing waystations throughout our U.S.-Mexico network in support of Monarch conservation.”
“The CP and KCS networks align with the Monarch’s annual migration route, providing us with a unique opportunity to help protect and restore critical habitat,” said Keith Creel, president and CEO of CP. “CP is very happy to join with KCS, GATX, Rotary and NASCO to support and promote the recovery of the Monarch Butterfly.”
“As the largest global railcar lessor and one of the largest boxcar owners in North America, GATX was thrilled to help produce a custom designed boxcar to celebrate and raise awareness of the journey of the monarch butterfly in addition to making a financial contribution to support the 60,000 Tree Challenge,” said Robert C. Lyons, president and CEO of GATX. “We are proud to join forces on this innovative environmental initiative.”
“Rotarians throughout North America are honored to join forces with CP, KCS, GATX and NASCO to regenerate vital pollinator habitat from Windsor to Michoacan. The biological corridor of the Monarch Butterfly has been fragmented by global warming, deforestation, urbanization and excessive pesticide use. At each stop of the GATX boxcar, local Rotarians will sign a pollinator pledge highlighting actions that will be implemented to protect monarch and other pollinators throughout North America,” said Alex Rechy, president of the Monterrey Metropolitan Rotary Club.
