From Seed to Sanctuary: Rewilding Insights & Resources

By Cynthia Zhang

Cynthia Zhang is a youth environmentalist, a co-chair of ReWild’s Social Media Committee, and the founder of Monarchs Matter, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness and protecting the vulnerable monarch butterfly population. 

An incoming junior at Great Neck South High School, she strives to inspire a new generation of environmental leaders on Long Island and around the world through social media.

From Seed to Sanctuary Workshop Recap

On August 18, ReWild Long Island, Monarchs Matter, and ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America) Nassau collaborated to host the From Seed to Sanctuary Workshop at the ICNA Nassau Community Center, bringing together 42 attendees.

ICNA speakers Brother Zunair and Brother Hassan shared how environmental action aligns with Islamic principles, while weaving their inspiring stories, personal experiences, and aspirations in environmental engineering. Then, ReWild speakers Raju Rajan, Safa Sayeed, Hasana Sayeed, and Cynthia Zhang and beginner native gardener Maha Akhtar shared their story, advice, and insights on rewilding and monarch conservation. Explore their resources below to learn how you can create a native habitat and protect monarch butterflies on a budget!

cynthia Tagging & Releasing 11 Monarch Butterflies

Turning ReWild’s CROWN Principles into ActioN

ReWild Long Island co-founder and president Raju Rajan, summer program student organizer Safa Sayeed, and summer program student intern Hasana Sayeed reviewed ReWild’s CROWN principles. The acronym CROWN stands for compost, reduce/reuse/recycle, organic gardening, water wisely, and native plantings. Let’s wear that rewilding crown and turn these key sustainable practices into action!

  • 12 common invasive plants to look out for (image below):

Photo credit: Long Island Conservancy

Raju Rajan and Safa Sayeed presenting about rewilding and CROWN

Easy Native Gardening for Beginners, from a Beginner

Maha Akhtar, a passionate beginner rewilder, shared her story and vision on transforming her yard to a thriving native habitat (images below). Here are the resources that helped kickstart her native plantings and continues to inspire her journey:

Maha Akhtar sharing her lawn to habitat transformation

  • Receive up to $350 rebates for installing native plants in your home from the annual Town of North Hempstead Native Plant Residential Rebate Program: https://www.northhempsteadny.gov/np

Create Your Own Monarch Magic

Cynthia Zhang speaking about the monarch butterfly decline & conservation

Monarchs Matter founder and ReWild Social Media Committee co-chair Cynthia Zhang discussed the monarch butterfly decline, life cycle, and community science programs. Discover your role in saving monarchs from extinction, whether that is raising monarchs for science and education, becoming a citizen scientist, growing milkweed (the sole host plant of monarch caterpillars!) in your yard, or getting involved in Monarchs Matter.

Buy milkweed / nectar plants to support monarch butterflies & other beloved pollinators!

Tagged monarch butterfly on Joe Pye Weed

Monarchs Matter Raise, Tag, and Release (RTR) Summer Program students finding eggs for the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP)

RTR Summer Program students tagging and releasing monarch butterflies for the Monarch Watch Tagging Program

Cynthia Zhang