She said from there, the program grew to involve a number of agencies and different parts of the Grand Island Public School system.

Lee said the Central Platte NRD was able to provide the four acres of the habitat on an easement they had on the Wood River Flood Control Project. It was also a site that gave the public access to the project.

DeFrank said the project has been “a year in the works.”

He called the four-acre habitat project “basically an outdoor classroom for kids to go out and collect data and do research on monarch butterflies, plant identifications, insect collections and a lot more.”

On Thursday, DeFrank said there will be more than 30 students participating in the planting project at the new research habitat. The students will be planting plants that attract pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly. The plants are being provided by Pheasants Forever.

He said about three-and-one-half acres of the habitat will be planted by a seed drill. The remaining half-acre will be planted by hand.

Hopefully, DeFrank said, by next fall, the habitat will be up and doing its job in attracting pollinators, such as the monarch butterfly.