Butterfly conservation: The development of a pioneering charity

Abstract

Butterfly Conservation is a registered charity in the UK whose aim is to conserve butterflies, moths and their habitats. It currently (September 2010) has 15,000 members, over 55 staff, and 31 volunteer Branches throughout the UK. Although much of its work is based in the UK, it helped establish Butterfly Conservation Europe in 2004, to stimulate and co-ordinate action across the continent. The following is a personal account of its development, taken from articles and observations that were gathered for the charity's 40th anniversary in 2008.