Story highlights Monarch butterflies have been in steep decline

A new program, with federal money, hopes to turn things around

Monarchs migrate thousands of miles, are indicator of environmental health

(CNN) The monarch butterfly, which has been imperiled in recent years by environmental problems, habitat loss and crop changes, is finally getting some good news.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a federal agency, announced Monday that it's launching a campaign at saving the creature.

The Fish and Wildlife Service will be partnering with a number of groups, including the National Wildlife Foundation , to raise awareness of the butterfly's problems. The Fish and Wildlife Service is beginning the effort with $1.2 million to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Monarch Conservation Fund . It will also provide $2 million in funding for conservation projects.

The news was announced in an agency release

Saving the noted orange-and-black member of the Lepidoptera order is not just a matter of saving a species; the monarch is also an indicator of environmental health. The butterflies rely almost solely on milkweed for their habitats and food source as they take several generations to migrate -- as much as 3,000 miles from the United States to their winter home in Mexico.

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