Incarcerated women at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women are raising Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies, an endangered species, as part of a conservation effort.
The program, a collaboration with The Evergreen State College and Washington State’s Sustainability in Prisons Project, aims to bolster the dwindling populations of this key species.
The work provides the women a sense of purpose and connection to the larger environmental restoration effort, highlighting the importance of nurturing and conservation even in unlikely settings.
Key quote:
“When I told my family what I do, they said, ‘we’re so proud of you, that you are doing something that has such a profound mission in the world.’"
— Brooke, a butterfly technician and inmate
Why this matters:
The conservation of Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies is vital not only for the survival of a beautiful species but also as a bellwether for the health of our ecosystems. Innovative partnerships and dedicated individuals can make a significant impact on conservation efforts. Insects are in decline. How to avert the insect apocalypse.
Love them or hate them, recent reports of an "insect apocalypse" sounded alarm bells around the world as conservationists warned of dire repercussions for people and ecosystems.
