Butterfly Conservation Management

Butterflies are important flagship taxa for invertebrate conservation. Recent developments emphasizing species and habitat management based on sound ecological understanding exemplify progress in this emerging science. Studies in many countries show the complexity of management needs for single species, and examples of management and recovery plans demonstrate the worth of this approach. By contrast, in many tropical regions, where butterfly faunas are more diverse than in temperate zones and the resources for practical conservation are restricted, the major emphasis is on protection of habitats to safeguard relatively poorly documented assemblages, and on conservation measures that benefit local people. Aspects of butterfly ecology are discussed in relation to sound management of species and faunas, and selected examples from Europe, North America, and elsewhere exemplify increasing global interest in butterfly conservation.