Monarch butterflies' migration at risk

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Excessive logging in central Mexico is threatening the annual migration of butterflies from Canada to Mexico, environmental officials say.

Officials attending this week's Governors' Global Climate Summit 2 said they would address the issue, with California Environmental Protection Agency and Natural Resources of the United Mexican States teaming up with two non-profit environmental groups Climate Action Reserve and the Ecolife Foundation, to concentrate on reforestation and forest management, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

"The state of California strongly believes forest protection and restoration activities are vital strategies in addressing climate change. Continued endangerment of the monarch butterfly's winter habitat in the Sierra Madre Occidental forests creates detrimental impacts on both sides of the border," said Linda Adams, who is both the California EPA Secretary and Climate Action Reserve Chair.

The goal is to have more trees growing than are being cut down, which would create a carbon surplus. Mexican communities would get revenue through carbon offsets from corporations that use up a large number of trees, Gary Gero, president of the Climate Action Reserve said, adding that, in turn, the money could buy additional trees, labor and maintenance.