As a member of the Women’s Business Network of Peterborough, I meet some very inspiring women, including most recently Carlotta James. Carlotta is a woman of resilience, strength and empowerment who is motivating people into environmental conservation action. She is the co-creator of the Monarch Ultra and co-founder of Three Sisters Natural Landscapes.
Carlotta is also a woman who doesn’t just talk about the need for greater biodiversity for environmental health. She has taken the lead in mobilizing a Monarch Ultra team to create an epic ultra-run as a way to action towards biodiversity. As stated on their web site, “the Monarch Ultra team hopes to see the monarch butterfly become a symbol of resiliency, strength, and empowerment that motivates people into conservation action. We also hope that this inspiring project is just the beginning of a larger movement to help protect pollinator species worldwide.”
The Monarch Ultra is a 4,300 km (2,760 miles) relay run and documentary project that will follow the monarch migration from Peterborough, Ontario to the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico from September 19 – November 4, 2019. Carlotta recently shared an update on the project’s success with WBN Members and I’m pleased to share it with you.
Carlotta reports that in the months since they launched the project last November, they have:
- Started a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising the seed money needed to do a recon trip along the 4,300km route of the Monarch Ultra, starting in Peterborough, Ontario and ending in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico.
- Created a beautiful sizzle that captures this trip https://vimeo.com/310599304 produced by film director Rodney Fuentes.
- Created a Monarch Ambassador Program to support project promotion and guiding. See their website for details if you are interested in getting involved.
- Opened registration for the Monarch Ultra relay run! If you are an ultra-runner or know of ultra-runners, please pass along this message. The 4,300 km relay run will begin in Peterborough, Ontario and will cross two international borders, three countries, hundreds of municipalities, and a diversity of bioregions, climates, and ecosystems. Please join our their Facebook event to receive up-to-date information on the relay run, or check out the dates/locations here: http://www.themonarchultra.com/relay-run.html
This is a shout out to Carlotta and the Monarch Ultra team for their inspiring work to protect our wild spaces and biodiversity for generations to come. This is an epic example of environmental tourism, community engagement and positive action. We need more people like Carlotta.
About the Author
Jennifer Garland is the Owner/Program Director of The Mane Intent, offering Health and Wellness Workshops and Individual and Team Effectiveness Coaching. Jennifer’s intent is to bring horses and humans together to explore new possibilities, getting you out of your comfort zone and giving clarity of voice to your leader within. She has over 25 years of leadership experience in communications, cause-related marketing and change management. As a strategist, facilitator and effectiveness coach, Jennifer has provided counsel and support to senior leaders from all walks of life to build productive relationships, facilitate learning and to embrace change. She is a ‘socialpreneur’ who values the art of living life fully with intent.
Book your experience today: jgarland@themaneintent.ca
