The Michoacan Reforestation Fund and La Cruz Habitat Protection Project work to protect monarch butterfly habitat and improve the well-being of Mexican communities through reforestation. We provide high quality pine and oyamel fir trees to highland communities in the Mexican states of Michoacan and Mexico. Welcome to our site.

2005 WAS A RECORD YEAR FOR MRF/LCHPP!
Contributions supported the planting of 480,000 pine and oyamel trees adjacent to the overwintering sites of the monarch butterfly in the Mexican states of Michoacan and Mexico. The planting of fifty thousand of those trees was made possible by through our first contribution from a Mexican corporate donor, the food company Bimbo. We are proud to say that MRF and LaCruz have planted 2,111,565 trees over the past nine years.

CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP
MRF underwent a transformation following the death of our founder, Bob Small in November 2004. As our supporters well know, Bob worked tirelessly for MRF on a voluntary basis for eight years. In 2005 Danielle Lee served as interim Director and together with President of the Board D.J. Agnew led us through a difficult period.

At our November 2005 meeting of the Board, Bob's son, Dr. Robert J. Small, was elected President of the Board and Dr. Orley R. "Chip" Taylor was appointed to the position of Executive Director. Chip is the head of Monarch Watch, an educational and tagging project at the University of Kansas, and initiator of The Monarch Waystation Project, which offers guidance and certificates for the planting of pesticide free gardens for the monarchs. The Board also hired Diane Pansky as Associate Director of MRF. Diane holds Masters Degrees in Political Science and Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from the University of Wisconsin and has been active in promoting community-based conservation with the IUCN World Conservation Union. Chip and Diane are looking forward to strengthening MRF's financial position and building upon its many achievements as we forge ahead to even more ambitious goals.

NEW CONTACT INFORMATION
The Michoacan Reforestation Fund has a new location.

Michoacan Reforestation Fund
University of Kansas
1200 Sunnyside Ave.
Lawrence, KS 66045
(785) 864-4850

You can continue to reach us at butterflies@michoacanmonarchs.org.

CONTINUITY AND GROWTH
Jose Luis Alvarez, the head of La Cruz Habitat Protection Program, continues to improve the nursery where over a half million seedlings are being prepared for next summer's planting. Jose Luis recently participated in a national meeting of foresters in Morelia, Mexico, where he was recognized for his role in the MRF/LaCruz reforestation projects.

A new Board member, Dr. Sue Sill, Executive Director of NABA International Butterfly Park in Mission, Texas, helped write grant proposals that resulted in $70,000 in funding for 2006. These include $50,000 from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's International Program, and $20,000 from American Forests' Global Releaf Program.

The Board of Directors of MRF continues to support the work of sustainable reforestation as we work toward our goal of planting one million trees a year.