Butterfly Conservation in North America Efforts to help save our charismatic microfauna

“The contributions in this edited volume constitute a highly practical guide to obtaining critical information about imperiled butterflies and strategies for implementing their conservation. … each chapter is focused on a particular aspect of butterfly conservation, or is a case study of the conservation of particular species or a species in a specific geographic region. … This book is a must for anyone contemplating direct engagement with butterfly conservation activities.” (Chris Nice, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 91 (3), September, 2016)

“The book accomplished the goal of providing a framework for butterfly conservation and management efforts. … useful for groups interested in identifying ways to best participate in these efforts. For readers not familiar with specific issues associated with imperiled butterflies, the focus on practical applications and numerous case studies provide an excellent starting point for developing relevant programs. Overall, the diverseexpertise and experiences of the authors provide an important resource for practitioners interested in butterfly conservation and management.” (Kristen A. Baum, The Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 80 (5), July, 2016)

“Each chapter is referenced independently and also includes a summary of key points discussed. … book fulfills its promise of delivering practical advice to advance butterfly conservation. It is informative and also refreshingly free from excessive ‘jargon’ … . I hope that it will indeed be read widely and its content heeded in planning further conservation efforts for butterflies across North America.” (Tim R. New, Journal of Insect Conservation, Vol. 19, 2015)

Jaret C. Daniels, Ph.D.                                                                 Assistant Director of Exhibits and Public Programs                         Assistant Curator of Lepidoptera                                               IFAS Assistant Professor of Entomology at Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida.
For a bit of background, the proposed book was born out of a larger conservation program I have been running called Imperiled Butterfly Conservation and Management. The proposed book serves as a detailed and augmented proceeding of the 3-year program.
Imperiled Butterfly Conservation and Management (IBCM) is an intensive cross-training program designed to strengthen the capacity of institutions and their staff to play a strategic role in the emergent and increasingly important field of insect conservation biology, with a targeted focus on imperiled butterfly recovery.
Zoos, natural history museums, botanical gardens and state and federal wildlife agencies are progressively focusing on insects, particularly charismatic groups such as butterflies and pollinators, to help advance local conservation efforts and foster increased environmental stewardship, science literacy and community engagement. However, insufficient experience and familiarity with insects prevent staff and institutions from adequately planning, implementing and evaluating conservation activities. The three-year IBCM program directly addresses this critical gap by focusing on institutional and staff development.
The program was led by the Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the University of Florida and the Butterfly Conservation Initiative. IBCM is a broad partnership that also involves the Chicago Academy of Sciences’ Peggy Notebaert Nature
Museum; the Oregon Zoo in Portland, OR; the Toledo Zoo in Toledo, Ohio; Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, FL; the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in Silver Spring, MD and the University of Florida IFAS Department of Entomology and Nematology. IBCM was funded by a grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services 21st Century Museum professionals program.