Submitted by the Island Marble Butterfly Volunteer Program staff.
Since the Island Marble butterfly was rediscovered 25 years ago, their numbers have dwindled to a single known population at American Camp on San Juan Island. Expanding habitat is key to recovering the species. Together we can create habitat for the Island Marble butterfly that was listed as endangered in 2020. The Island Marble Butterfly Volunteer Program is fundraising August 16–19 as part of the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s County Fair Giving Campaign. Your gift supports the island marble butterfly at a critical time for the species. Volunteers help to grow host plants for this endangered species that is only found in the San Juan Islands.
The San Juan Island Community Foundation is hosting a County Fair Giving Campaign during the San Juan County Fair. The San Juan Island Community Foundation will match the first $1,000 donated to an organization. Donations must be made to the San Juan Island Community Foundation during Aug. 16–19. This can be done online through the Virtual Fair Catalog portal, using a credit card over the phone by calling 360-378-1001, or by making a check payable to “SJICF” or “San Juan Island Community Foundation” and designating “IMBVP” in the memo line. Gifts can also be made at the county fair where the volunteer program will have a table. SJICF will then collate donations and provide a grant to the recipient organization.
Volunteers are vital to providing enough habitat for the Island Marble butterfly. The Island Marble Butterfly Volunteer Program was established in 2022 for just this purpose. For volunteers to meet expanding habitat needs, we have set a goal for the County Fair Giving Campaign to raise $10,000. The program is looking for donors who are interested in island marble butterfly conservation to help fund a part-time paid, trained, and authorized volunteer coordinator, the website, insurance, printed materials, outreach, education, and new opportunities for Island Marble butterfly conservation. The volunteer program is bridging the gap between startup costs and scaling up operations as more habitat is built.
The first two years of the Island Marble Butterfly Volunteer Program were funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service through an agreement that was fulfilled earlier this year. This paid for initial program development including the Island Marble Butterfly Hub at www.islandmarblebutterflyhub.org, but the volunteer program does not expect to receive additional federal funding. At this time we seek private gifts that will be leveraged with grant funding to run the program for the next two years.
If you have questions about making a gift or about the program, please do not hesitate to reach out to Volunteer Coordinator Walt Andrews at 360-375-3070 or at vc@onsacredgroundlandtrust.org. Gifts of all sizes are appreciated. The Island Marble butterfly is worthy of your generosity. Volunteers have cultivated habitat in the past that has led to new occupancy by the Island Marble butterfly. This trend is expected to continue as the Island Marble butterfly expands its range which is critical for the species to survive.
