Raising awareness and understanding of wildlife pollinators and the ecosystems that sustain them – and us!
Join us for our ongoing “Wine & Words” Speaker Series the evening of Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM) in the Great Room at Chandor Gardens, Weatherford, TX to hear an inspiring author talk with conservationist, journalist, and nature writer Monika Maeckle. Maeckle will discuss her book The Monarch Butterfly Migration: It’s Rise & Fall and will also highlight her latest book Plants with Purpose: Twenty-Five Ecosystem Multitaskers
Monika will share with us her journey from curiosity to involvement about monarch butterfly migrations that touch on a variety of subjects and issues from milkweed species to tagging butterflies to the changes seen in annual migrations. The Monarch Butterfly Migration Its Rise and Fall – In this informative and interesting book, we learn about the natural history of the monarch butterfly migration from 1976 to the present woven with a lot of cultural history and memoir.
In her book Plants with Purpose: Twenty-Five Ecosystem Multitaskers, Maeckle highlights the beauty and resilience of native plants while exploring how the natural world influences and enriches our daily lives. Beauty alone is no longer reason enough to choose a plant that will occupy valuable real estate in your landscape. Each plant in the book had to have a “Yes” answer to at least three of the following questions (in addition to being attractive):
- Can you eat it?
- Make tea from it?
- Does it serve wildlife? (e.g., providing habitat, food, or hosting pollinators)
- Does it taste good or provide a health benefit?
- Is it low maintenance?
- Does it have a fun story to tell? (e.g., historical use or interesting botanical features)
- Does it provide a unique landscape service? (e.g., erosion control, shade)
During the program, she will share insights from her books, answer audience questions, and reflect on her work as an advocate for pollinators and biodiversity.
Both books will be available for purchase and signing immediately following the presentation.
Tickets $35 - price includes a selection of wine & beer.
Author Bio:
Monika Maeckle is a writer, Master Gardener, pollinator advocate, Monarch tagger, and curious student of nature who loves the whole life cycle. She founded the annual San Antonio Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival in 2016 and founded the Texas Butterfly Ranch website in 2010. She is the author of The Monarch Butterfly Migration: Its Rise and Fall as well as Plants with Purpose: Twenty-Five Ecosystem Multitaskers.
