Duncan Jurman Bring Butterflies Back
Duncan Jurman is our EcoGenius today, he became interested in butterflies when he was about 5 years old, when he discovered the wonderful world of caterpillars and their magical transformation into butterflies.
Duncan Jurman as a child.bringbutterfliesback.org
He was fascinated by the different ways that caterpillars can disguise themselves to stay safe in potentially hostile environments. From there, he started to learn more about caterpillars and butterflies, collecting facts that he shares with people on his website and in educational sessions.
Julia Caterpillar. Photo Jurman
Now, this 17-year-old high school senior from Weston, Florida, wants people to plant these seeds and grow their own gardens. He have been collects seeds from dune sunflowers, coneflowers, tickseeds, and lantana flowers and hands them out to his classmates, his neighbors, and the students he teaches.
Duncan Jurman. Photo globalcitizen.org
You can see all the information on how to do so on his website.
What is his goal?
Jurman’s goal is to transform the landscape of Broward County, Florida, by turning weedy suburbs into a vibrant butterfly sanctuary at a time when insect populations are at serious risk worldwide.
Duncan researched the different plants that butterflies prefer, and then made himself a butterfly-friendly garden.
Our «EcoGenius» learned that insects in general face significant human-caused threats: habitat loss, climate change and, most urgently, the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides.
Monarchs. Photo Jurman
“Butterflies play a really important role in our ecosystems,” Jurman told. “Number one, they’re very low on the food web, so they prop up a lot of different species that rely on them, especially native bird species, lizards, and frogs.
“They’re an indicator species for the health of the environment,” he said. “Once they disappear, everything else is soon to follow.”
He said “One of the great things about butterflies is how easy they are to help and get them to your own yard,” he said. “For monarch butterflies you just need some milkweed. That’s how I got started.”
He knew he could protect butterflies in his own backyard. But what about in the rest of the world? Butterflies travel great distances, sailing through the winds and floating through the air, in search of food and places to rest.
Carrying your message beyond your garden
Jurman travels throughout Florida to explain this and other lessons to elementary and middle school students, while also showing them how to take care of butterflies.
Duncan Jurman teaching a room of students about butterflies. Photo bringbutterfliesback.org
Duncan said in his web: I have been teaching students about butterflies since I was in 4th grade, reaching thousands of students, parents, teachers, and school employees. I created Bring Butterflies Back to share my experience as well as to educate and inspire other students to join me in protecting South Florida butterflies. Ms. Chana Goodman, my mentor, has provided invaluable guidance and support to me along the way.
It is a collaborative project
Duncan Jurman’s project is collaborative and community-based. That’s why many schools have been motivated to make their own gardens. The state’s butterfly population could recover, if enough Florida schools follow suit.
From the Fairchild Botanic Garden. Photo Marisela Valero
«I don’t know if we can get to the point we were at with the butterflies, but I think if everyone gets involved and starts their own garden, it can have its own impact,» he said.
Butterflies at risk of extinction
He said that a lot of people are surprised to learn that insects are declining at such an alarming rate, largely because the decline has been so gradual. This phenomenon, known as the shifting baselines theory, helps to explain why people are so reluctant to take meaningful actions to save the environment — if the changing environment always seems normal from year-to-year, then why the fuss to take action?
Monarch butterflies; Duncan Jurman
“People say, ‘How can the monarch butterfly be going extinct if I just saw one the other day?’” he said. “It’s the slow decline of butterflies that people need to be aware of and how easy it is for them to go extinct.”
Duncan is not only interested in the lives of butterflies, but sees their conservation as a pathway to a broader ecology; contributing to biodiversity, climate action and environmental restoration.
«I’m very interested in animals and insects in general,» she says. «I love learning about different food webs. You can learn a lot about nature by creating your own butterfly garden».
If you want to start your own butterfly garden, here are some important suggestions from Jurman. https://bringbutterfliesback.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SuggestedGardenListandTips-2.pdf
From Globalcitizen.org
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