Save Our Butterflies Week 19-26 July

21st July 2008

Sir David Attenborough launched Save Our Butterflies Week on 17 July at London's Natural History Museum.

Twenty UK Butterfly Survival Zones have been unveiled. The focus of this new strategy is saving butterflies across entire landscapes. Sir David said: “Almost unbelievably, much of Britain’s countryside is a no-go area for many favourite butterflies. Habitat has been ploughed up or become overgrown. Anybody who’s been for a country walk recently will tell you butterflies are a rarity. Scientists fear that in some areas we’re entering a post-butterfly era.”

Sir David made his announcement at the Natural History Museum in London, which is currently hosting the Amazing Butterflies exhibition. The announcement coincided with the launch of this year’s Save Our Butterflies Week, which sees scores of conservation events across the country.

Butterfly Conservation Chief Executive Dr Martin Warren said: “Butterflies may be tiny, but to save them you have to think big. A small colony of butterflies is always vulnerable. A vast chain of habitats is needed to let them spread and establish new colonies. Butterfly Conservation is already talking to many hundreds of landowners and plans to talk to thousands more over coming years. They’ll be urged to use Government grants to restore habitat on farms and estates in the 20 zones. The aim is to achieve entire landscapes with suitable habitat.”

Dr Warren said that Butterfly Conservation had already successfully trialed the landscape approach in areas as far apart as the North York Moors and Dartmoor. Wildlife Minister Joan Ruddock recently witnessed how the rare Marsh Fritillary is making a comeback on Dartmoor as a result of work being carried out there.

Butterfly Conservation is 40 years old this year. It was conceived when amateur naturalists realised the disastrous affect the introduction of intensive agriculture in the 1950s was having on butterfly numbers.

Butterfly Conservation is marking its 40th anniversary with scores of events throughout the countryside, which are both educational and fun. The full listing of events and details on how to attend (click on event title) can be viewed on their site here.