On BBC 1 'Breakfast' yesterday (17th July) there was a report on the crisis in the British butterfly population. It was also widely reported in the press. Sir David Attenborough warned that butterflies could die out in this country unless something is done to help them, as he launched a rescue plan to establish 20 locations in areas like Dartmoor in Devon and the New Forest in Hampshire, where farmers and landowners will be encouraged to restore habitats and encourage butterflies. Butterflies are in serious decline and are at a record low because of the wet summer. Butterflies are an indicator of environmental health; they are in decline because the environment is suffering - for example, natural habitats have been destroyed by intensive agriculture and there is increasing pollution. However, it would be better to introduce less destructive agricultural practices over the whole country than establish small conservation areas.
You can help butterflies, by growing buddhleia, nettles and other butterfly-friendly plants in your garden.
For more information, go to www.butterfly-conservation.org/
Save Our Butterflies Week is 19th-27th July - go to www.butterfly-conservation.org/text/1996/save_our_butterflies_week.html
To read one of the press reports, go to www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/17/eabutterfly117.xml