Centralia

About the Program
The Bayer Centralia facility is located in Centralia, Illinois, an hour east of St. Louis, Missouri. Over three acres of grassland habitat is managed in support of monarch butterflies and other pollinators. The program supports native pollinator habitat through management practices tailored to various pollinator species and enhancement of native vegetation.

Practices and Impacts

• In April of 2016, 3.5 acres of land were set aside for grassland habitat, with the goal of enhancing the quantity and quality of land available to pollinators. The team restored prairie land to create the grassland habitat.
• The team manages the grassland habitat through control and removal of invasive species, mowing practices and general grassland management techniques in line with the project's conservation goals of enhancing habitat for native pollinators. The team has observed a flourish of native plants and native animal species in the habitat since starting the project. 
• The team partners with University of Illinois Extension to create plans for the grassland habitat and create an invasive species management strategy. 
• The team has observed pollinators utilizing the native grassland habitats regularly, including various species of native butterflies such as monarchs.