Tennessee habitats restored to help monarchs spread their wings amid threat of endangered status

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RADNOR LAKE STATE PARK, Tennessee ( WTVF ) -- Peak migration season has arrived for monarch butterflies, and they're now passing through Tennessee on their journey south. But these iconic black and orange insects face an uncertain future, with declining numbers over the past two decades likely landing them on the endangered species list.

At Radnor Lake State Park, conservationists are working to reverse this troubling trend by creating vital habitat for the migrating monarchs.

Native grasslands now stand tall and proud across the park, but the restoration took 12 years and covered more than 150 acres. The flowering ironweed, thistles and frost weed provide essential resources for the butterflies.

"We are restoring these plants for future generatio