University of Florida

The Florida Museum of Natural History will establish a broad partnership with six organizations involved with the emerging and increasingly important field of insect conservation biology. Grant funds will support intensive laboratory and field training workshops at partner institutions with established butterfly conservation and recovery programs. Professionals from natural history museums, zoos, and botanical gardens will gain an enhanced understanding and increased competenc e in butterfly conservation and recovery techniques. Participating organizations will benefit from new opportunities for collaboration. Project activities will also include Web-based resource sharing, instructional printed materials, and scientific journal papers. The cross-training program will strengthen the capacity of institutions and their staff to play a strategic role in addressing the decline in butterfly populations and the resulting threats to the environmental health of the planet.