Our Story

Deeply rooted in the belief that everyone can contribute to our understanding of the natural world, Journey North embarked on its journey in the mid-1990s. Journey North was founded in 1994 by Elizabeth Howard, who led the project for 25 years. Through 2018, the project was funded by Annenberg Leamer, an initiative of the Annenberg Foundation.

This initiative was born from Howard's vision of harnessing the burgeoning power of the internet to explore the intricate web of connections within the natural world. Howard's deep interest in wildlife migration, coupled with her concern about how changing habitats were negatively affecting migratory patterns, was the driving force behind her aspiration to share this captivating story with a wider audience. Her goal was to create a program that would not only showcase the incredible journeys of migratory species but also provide a means for the public to track these phenomena across North America. This is where the internet seamlessly integrated with Journey North's mission. The emerging technological advancements proved to be the perfect tool for educating people about nature and allowing them to witness their favorite species' migration across the continent.

In the late 1990s, Journey North underwent another transformation by introducing a platform that allowed participants to submit their observational data. No longer were volunteers required to mail in their reports; a new system enabled them to submit their sightings from the comfort of their homes. Today, the migration story has become a collective effort, narrated by thousands of volunteers, and brought to life through real-time mapping visualizations of wildlife migration. The days of hand-drawn, static maps are a thing of the past.

In 2019, the program came to the Arboretum under Karen Oberhauser, a renowned monarch conservation biologist who became the Arboretum director in 2017. In 2024, Journey North celebrated its 30th anniversary, a remarkable milestone.

In 2025, the program transitioned to a new home at the Monarch Joint Venture, marking an exciting new chapter for Journey North. It presents a valuable opportunity to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability and growth. Under the Monarch Joint Venture’s stewardship, Journey North will continue to thrive, engaging community scientists and inspiring vital conservation efforts for monarchs, pollinators, and the ecosystems they support.

You can help support Journey North by donating to the Monarch Joint Venture's community science fund and reporting your observations of monarchs, hummingbirds, and other migratory species.