FLEMING ISLAND – Members of the Garden Club of Fleming Island donated 225 pounds of food and $275 to the Clothes Closet and Food Bank of Orange Park to make the holiday season a little brighter for our neighbors.

Our club members then celebrated the season with a luncheon at Club Continental. They will return to normal activities with our first meeting of the year on Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. at the Fleming Island Library, 1895 Town Center Blvd. Master Gardener Volunteer Bonnie Preissler will give a presentation on camellias. Visitors are welcome.

We recently received news from the National Wildlife Federation regarding the Monarch Butterfly and the impact of planting Native Oak Trees. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed designating the monarch butterfly as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Since North America’s monarch butterfly has been in rapid decline for the last few decades due to habitat loss, excessive pesticide use and climate change, the extraordinary monarch migration across the continent could cease altogether if the decline continues. If the designation is approved, it will provide increased funding for the work to save this iconic butterfly species. The National Wildlife Federation suggests ways that each of us can help.

Find their tips at nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native/Why-Native/Milkweed-for-Monarchs.

When it comes to supporting wildlife, certain plants, called keystone species, greatly impact their environment. Native oaks can support more life forms, such as fungi, insects, birds and mammals, than any other North American tree genus. They are the host plants for more than 1,000 kinds of moth and butterfly caterpillars, which, in turn, are the most critical protein songbirds need to raise their offspring.

In the spring, scores of birds flock to oaks to glean the caterpillars that will fuel their northward journeys. In fall, oaks produce copious amounts of nutritious acorns that feed dozens of other wildlife species.

So, if you want to contribute to the health of our world, plant a native oak to get the most bang for your buck.