Subject: Action Plan for british Butterflies

From: Roy Neeve <[email-masked]>
Date: 25 Feb 1995 09:16:38 GMT

The British Butterfly Conservation Society "Butterfly Conservation"
has just released details of a major projectACTION FOR BUTTERFLIES 
due to be launched in March 95.
The future of half our butterflies hangs in the balance.  
For the first time ever, a comprehensive plan is afoot to save these
 crown jewels of Britain's wildlife!  
The registered charity Butterfly Conservation aims to bring back the
clouds of butterflies many of us knew as children.

This vital project aims to produce Species Action Plans for 25 
threatened species, together with plans for key habitats.
The plans will identify actions needed to conserve all of Britain's
threatened butterflies and will be drawn up in consultation with a
wide range of conservation and land use bodies.  
This unique partnership will then work together to translate plans
into action on the ground.

The plans will address the individual problems experienced by 
Britain's scarcer butterflies and identify priority actions so that
these co-operative efforts bring maximum benefit.

Dr Linda Barnett, Action for Butterflies National Action Plan Officer,
comments that "For many of our butterflies the information about their 
ecology and distribution is widely scattered and sometimes unknown.  
The Action Plans will bring all available data together and provide
the basis for the national and regional conservation measures".

During 1995 plans will be produced on the Schedule 5 species 
(of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981), and those that have  under
gone recent massive declines.  
These are the Swallowtail, Large Copper, Large Blue, Adonis Blue, 
Silver-spotted Skipper, Chequered Skipper,  the Pearl-bordered 
Fritillary, Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, High Brown Fritillary, 
Marsh Fritillary  and Heath Fritillary.

Miram Rothschild, a vice president of BC says "When I was young 46 species
were found near my home.  I daren't tell you how few are left.  
Unless we make a gigantic effort to cooperate, tomorrow we may find 
Red Admirals and Peacocks on the verge of extinction".

For further information contact 
Gary Roberts (Press Office) on +44 01 844 274 648 or 
Dr Linda Barnett (Conservation Office) on+44 01 929 400 209

THE BRITISH BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION SOCIETY LIMITED
REGISTERED OFFICE: SHAKESPEARE HOUSE, HIGH STREET, DEDHAM, COLCHESTER, ESSEX, CO7  6DE
REGISTERED CHARITY No 254937