In 2021, our organization revealed its intentions to invest in developing surroundings to bolster the western monarch butterfly, a species recently categorized as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List. Over time, we’ve contributed to the rehabilitation and improvement of more than 750 acres of monarch butterfly habitat throughout California — fulfilling our pledge for the monarch butterfly in 2021.

Google.org extended grants to the Xerces Society and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) to finance habitat restoration projects for monarchs in Silicon Valley and various parts of California. Additionally, Google has established 20 acres of fresh habitat on our California premises specifically tailored to support monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

Our commitment to the monarch is a component of our overall campaign to reintegrate nature into the constructed environment by reviving critical habitats within our facilities — for monarchs alongside a diverse myriad of other species. Last year, we inaugurated two new facilities in California meticulously designed to nurture native ecosystems. The Gradient Canopy building in Mountain View boasts over four acres of indigenous landscaping, including areas dedicated to monarch habitat. Likewise, our new YouTube campus in San Bruno showcases 2.8 acres of native planting spaces, featuring a garden focused on monarchs. As of the conclusion of 2023, we have established or revived roughly 67 acres of habitat and planted approximately 4,500 native trees on Google’s premises and the surrounding urban terrain.

We are deeply honored to have received the Monarch Sustainer of the Year Award from Pollinator Partnership in recognition of these initiatives. Our aspiration is to elevate awareness regarding the perils faced by monarch butterflies, and we urge others to unite with us in taking steps to champion their cause.