The Pismo State Beach butterfly grove, like most monarch butterfly overwintering sites in California, has undergone a severe reduction in its monarch population. However, the site has been ranked as the most important site for conservation and restoration out of more than 100 California overwintering sites. The site is also an incredibly valuable opportunity for education, and with over 80,000 visitors annually, is one of the most popular monarch sites.
To help ensure that Pismo Beach continues to provide high quality habitat for monarchs, the Xerces Society, in coordination with California Department of Parks and Recreation and Creekside Center for Earth Observation, has prepared a site management plan for State Parks, with recommended actions to support overwintering monarchs in both the short and long term.