Last week, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) worked with staff from the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP) to release more than 300 Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies on WDFW-managed lands in the South Sound prairies as part of ongoing recovery efforts for this endangered butterfly.

WDFW and SPP staff and two Washington Fish and Wildlife Commissioners helped release butterflies and discussed the importance of restoring South Sound prairie ecosystems to benefit biodiversity and endangered species recovery.

Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies — and many of Washington’s other imperiled species — are dependent on healthy native prairie habitat, which thrives in the presence of fire on the landscape. These butterflies were released to a portion of prairie where prescribed burns were conducted just one year ago to help manage invasive Scotch broom and encourage native plant growth. This mosaic of native plants and wildflowers is the perfect habitat for these butterflies to thrive.

This work wouldn’t be possible without SPP and their dedicated butterfly technicians. SPP is a partnership founded by The Evergreen State College and Washington State Department of Corrections.