One of my fondest memories of first grade in Fairhope was gathering some fat, funny, yellow and black and white Monach caterpillars, taking them back to our classroom in a huge glass jar, watching them eat and crawl around and suddenly, one morning, coming in to find them changed into beautiful green and gold chrysalises. It seemed miraculous, as did the emergence of the butterflies themselves two weeks later.

As you may know, Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on Milkweed, a native plant that is considered a nuisance and eradicated from most gardens and roadsides. So where did we go in 1950s Fairhope to find Milkweed and caterpillars? To Knoll Park, of course, where native plants were still growing, safe for a time from mowers and herbicides.

I’m utterly thrilled that one day soon Knoll Park will again shelter Milkweed plants and Monarch caterpillars, and that first-graders can once more gather them and also view a hundred other native plants in their natural setting.

I want to say a huge “Thank You” to everyone involved in this project. Native habitat restoration doesn’t happen overnight, but the miracle will gradually take place and the results will be worth the wait. A special thanks to the Fairhope Single Tax Corp. You make me proud that my grandfather was a “SingleTaxer.” And much love and gratitude to our first-grade teacher, Mrs. Helen Dyson, who inspired so many others like me with a deep appreciation for the natural world.

Fairhope resident