Monarch butterflies are being wiped out. These combat veterans are trying to save them.
An eye-opening psychedelic journey inspired this former Navy SEAL save the butterflies while helping veterans cope with trauma.
Mark Matzeldelaflor founded a nonprofit called Guardian Grange after a magic mushroom trip showed him the healing power of nature.
“I just reconnected to nature and my past, where I was like a kid in the woods. And I realized there’s so much healing in being outside in nature, getting your hands in the dirt and doing good work,” he said.
The organization provides a safety net for veterans where they can learn about conservation, sustainability and regenerative agriculture while transitioning back to civilian life. Its first major initiatives is to build a preserve for Western monarch butterflies, which have had a 99.9% population decline in California.