Echo Park— About 40 volunteers gathered on a hilltop in Elysian Park on Sunday to plant an estimated 200 milkweed plants, according to the Friends of Elysian Park , which organized the planting.

The Monarch Butterfly Habitat, located in the Victory Memorial Grove , is a first for the park and part of Project Monarch L.A ., which is dedicated to restoring habitats for the butterflies, whose numbers have been declining.

Milkweed serves as a host plant, where monarchs lay their eggs and caterpillars feed. That helps the pollinators complete their full life cycle right in the park, according to the friends group.

The habitat, which includes sculptures by artist Katrina Alexy, will be watered by volunteers until the plants are established, said Sakae Koyama, co-president of the f

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