LSU Students Maintain Horseshoe Pollinator Garden
The student group Geaux Green has taken over maintenance of the campus garden to support monarch butterfly migration.
Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Gardening
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LSU Geaux Green has begun managing the Horseshoe Pollinator Garden located in front of Evangeline Hall. The student organization maintains the site to assist monarch butterflies during their migration to Mexico.
Why it matters
The club cuts back specific plants like tropical milkweed to encourage monarch butterflies to continue their migration rather than remaining stationary. By managing the garden, the group provides service hours to students who volunteer for the maintenance work.
The garden, established three years ago, features a variety of plants including chaste trees, lantanas, okra, and tropical milkweed. Geaux Green now manages the site in front of Evangeline Hall.
The players
LSU Geaux Green
This student organization at Louisiana State University focuses on environmental sustainability and campus ecological initiatives.
Hollie Hale-Donze
A faculty member at the university who provides oversight for the campus pollinator garden project.
The details
Participants work to keep the habitat functional by removing weeds and trimming plants, carefully checking for monarch eggs before cutting tropical milkweed. The organization is currently planning to expand its efforts to a garden near Woodin Hall and establish a new bed between Laville Honors House and the French House.
Timeline
The garden was started three years ago by the Science Residential College.
Geaux Green began maintaining the garden at the beginning of the current semester.
Participants removed weeds and trimmed milkweed plants on Monday.
November 1 is the target date to cut down milkweed to discourage butterflies.
Culture Shift
This effort reflects a growing trend of campus-based conservation projects that align with the monarch butterfly migration to Mexico. These initiatives move beyond simple beautification toward active ecological support for migratory species.
Students at the university can participate in these conservation efforts to earn service hours during their studies. Residents and visitors interested in sustainable landscaping may observe these maintenance practices occurring in the designated campus garden areas.
The takeaway
Maintaining native plant habitats requires careful timing to ensure that migratory species follow their natural patterns. Home gardeners can implement similar seasonal checks for butterfly eggs before pruning back milkweed to support local ecosystems.
Further reading
Learn more about local horticulture and conservation by visiting our Gardening section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Reveille.
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