[Pollinator] FW: Butterfly bill flies through Wyoming Legislature

Thu Feb 26 11:15:46 PST 2009

Laurie Davies Adams

Executive Director

Pollinator Partnership

423 Washington St., 5th floor

San Francisco, CA 94111

415.362.1137 PHONE

415.362.3070 FAX

lda at pollinator.org

www.pollinator.org

Our future flies on the wings of pollinators.

National Pollinator Week  - June 22-28 - join the national campaign today at
www.pollinator.org!

  _____  

From: Andrew Kratz [mailto:akratz at fs.fed.us] 
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2009 8:27 AM
To: Larry Stritch; pdl wo nfs f&rge bot reg
Cc: Olivia Kwong; LDA at coevolution.org; mdshepherd at xerces.org;
eric at xerces.org; sblack at xerces.org; Robert J Cain; Susan E Gray; Rebecca
Aus; Andrew Kratz; Barry C Johnston; Bernie Bornong; Beth Bischoff; Bob
Mountain; Bruce L Davidson; Cara MacMillan; Chelsea Vollmer; Cheryl L Mayer;
Craig Beckner; Cynthia E Buckert; Dan Scaife; Dean Erhard; Deanna Reyher;
Elizabeth K Roberts; Eugene F Bolka; Gay T Austin; Gretchen Fitzgerald; Jake
Powell; Jeffery Redders; Jeffrey S Abegglen; Jill Larson; John G Proctor;
John Sidle; Jon Warder; Julie Laufman; Katherine Zacharkevics; Kathy Roche;
Kathy S Carsey; Kent E Houston; Kevin L Kovacs; Lucretia Y Smith; Mark Lane;
Mary Lata; Mike Wrigley; Nicholas Drozda; Patrice Lynch; Peter N Edwards;
Ron Torretta; Sara Brinton; Sheila Lamb; Steve J Popovich; Steve Olson;
Steve Tapia; Wendy Haas; Wendy Holden; reg.rothwell at wgf.state.wy.us
Subject: Fw: Butterfly bill flies through Wyoming Legislature

Larry -  Here's an inspiring story of results from the efforts of a couple
of elementary school children in Wyoming (one is the son of Forest Service
wildlife biologist, Jon Warder).

Andrew Kratz 
Regional Botanist 
US Forest Service 
Region 2, Regional Office 
740 Simms Street 
Golden, Colorado 80401 
Phone: 303-275-5009, FAX: 303-275-5075 

----- Forwarded by Andrew Kratz/R2/USDAFS on 02/25/2009 09:13 AM ----- 

Jon Warder/R2/USDAFS 

02/24/2009 07:42 AM 

To

Andrew Kratz/R2/USDAFS at FSNOTES, Melanie Woolever/R2/USDAFS at FSNOTES, Greg
Hayward/R2/USDAFS at FSNOTES, andrea.orabana at wgf.state.wy.us, Nancy
Warren/R2/USDAFS at FSNOTES 

cc

Subject

Fw: Butterfly bill flies through Wyoming Legislature

Hey Gang - just thought you'd like to know a little wildlife/botany activity
going on in WY.  Sorry I'm missing the regional wl meeting, but this is part
of the reason.  It's been a fun and educational project for these kids.  We
had quite some discussions about picking an insect that was both a
pollinator and yet not a potential T&E! 

Andrea - I was going to get a hold of an I&E person in Cheyenne to see if
WGFD interested in any kind of signing event, since you guys will be in
charge of managing for it!  Sorry we didn't get you guys involved earlier.
Please circulate among non-game folks if you would. 

Cheers.  JON 

Jon Warder
Fire and Fuels/ Safety/Wildlife
Bighorn National Forest
2013 Eastside 2nd St.
Sheridan,  WY 82801
(307)674-2631
(307)674-2668 fax
jwarder at fs.fed.us 
----- Forwarded by Jon Warder/R2/USDAFS on 02/24/2009 07:25 AM ----- 

  _____  

Subject: Butterfly bill flies through Wyoming Legislature
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 10:14:55 -0700
From: RobertW at uwyo.edu

Logo_Left

Cooperative Extension Service 
Communications and Technology 
Department 3354 
1000 E. University Ave. 
Laramie, WY 82071 
(307) 766-2540 . fax (307) 766-3998 . www.uwyo.edu 

For Immediate Release 

Contact: Robert Waggener, Editor 
Phone: (307) 766-3571 
E-mail:  <mailto:robertw at uwyo.edu> robertw at uwyo.edu 

Date: Feb. 23, 2009 
Photos available upon request 
Butterfly bill flies through Wyoming Legislature 
            The "butterfly bill" fluttered through the Wyoming House on Feb.
20, passing 51-9, and it now awaits the signature of Gov. Dave Freudenthal. 
            "It will be fun developing the marketing plan for the state of
Wyoming promoting our newest symbol, Sheridan's green hairstreak," said one
of the bills co-sponsors, Rep. Rosie Berger, R-Big Horn. 
"Maybe even this spring I will identify the butterfly while taking a hike in
the Big Horn Mountains, listening to meadowlarks, our state bird, and
finding my first Indian paintbrush, our state flower," Berger said. 
            Berger credits Big Horn Elementary School students Tanner Warder
and Lydia Mayer and University of Wyoming Professor Scott Shaw for the
success of Senate File 16. On two occasions, the trio testified before
legislative committees. 
            "I believe because of the excellent presentations given by
Tanner and Lydia of the research they did with their class members, and,
with Dr. Shaw, the committees were confident the state butterfly should be
the Sheridan's green hairstreak," Berger said. 
"I believe Dr. Shaw's work helped with passage of the legislation, and if
anyone gets the opportunity to read his article in the Reflections magazine
of 2007, it will prove why we should have a state butterfly and that it be
the Sheridan's green hairstreak," she added. 
The article is at
<http://www.uwyo.edu/agexpstn/reflections/2007/reflections%202007%20web.pdf>
www.uwyo.edu/agexpstn/reflections/2007/reflections%202007%20web.pdf, or
copies can be ordered, free of charge, by calling (307) 766-3667 or
e-mailing kathbert at uwyo.edu. 
Shaw, an entomologist in the College of Agriculture's Department of
Renewable Resources, stated in the article that Callophrys sheridanii is a
lovely insect, being one of the few green butterflies in the region. 
It was discovered in 1877 near the location of present-day Sheridan, Shaw
said. Both the town and the butterfly are named after Lt. Gen. Philip H.
Sheridan, a famous Civil War commander. 
            The butterfly occurs widely across Wyoming in mountains and
foothills, wherever its primary food source (the sulphur-flower) is found,
said Shaw, who, as curator of the UW Insect Museum, estimates Sheridan's
green hairstreak is one of at least 12,000 insect species found in Wyoming. 
            Shaw praised the two Big Horn students for their research and
presentations in Cheyenne. 
            "I was impressed they were very thoughtfully prepared. Their
research was outstanding, and the quality of the information they presented
and how they presented it equaled that of many college students," Shaw said.
"They were very poised speakers." 
Warder, now a fourth grader at Big Horn, launched the project last school
year for extra credit as part of a program led by third-grade teacher Laurie
Graves and Big Horn's gifted and talented teacher, Marcia McChesney. 
He then collaborated with classmate Mayer to get input from other Big Horn
students, and they also consulted with Shaw on numerous occasions to learn
more about the butterfly before presenting their idea last year to Sheridan
County legislators, including the bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Bruce Burns,
R-Sheridan. 
"Dr. Shaw was a big help," Warder said shortly after learning the bill
passed through the Wyoming House on Friday. "He gave us tons of information.
He gave us ideas and support, and he came to Cheyenne twice to testify with
us." 
Warder, the son of Karla and Jon Warder of Big Horn, admitted he was nervous
while making presentations before the two legislative committees. 
"Getting up in front of them was pretty scary, but it was neat and fun. They
were really supportive, and some of them were pretty funny. Some of them
were jokingly teasing Sen. Burns about the butterfly bill; they were making
us all laugh." 
Warder added, "I wasn't even sure it would get through the committee, but
Lydia and I really worked hard on this. I probably would have gotten pretty
depressed if it hadn't gotten through." 
Asked about the nine House members who voted against the bill, Berger
responded, "The no votes really had more to do with giving the students the
experience of knowing it isn't easy to pass legislation. And, even if you
like the butterfly idea, it may not be to some the most important thing to
do that day in the Wyoming Legislature." 
Karla Warder said her son started learning about the democratic process
early in his project. 
"It was hard when the entire school voted for the Sheridan's green
hairstreak because Tanner initially liked the anicia checkerspot, a
butterfly that feeds on our state flower, the Indian paintbrush. He had to
understand when people get to choose, not everyone gets what they want." 
Warder added with a laugh, "Tanner loves the Sheridan's green hairstreak,
and I think he's actually forgotten about being disappointed at first." 
In his article, Shaw said his first recommendation as state butterfly was
Sheridan's green hairstreak, while the anicia checkerspot came in number
two. 
"Dr. Shaw was a terrific help in assisting the students with their research,
and having narrowed the legislation to a state butterfly will give future
classes in Wyoming a chance at naming a state insect," Berger said. "In
today's difficult times, it is great to see civic engagement at its best
with student involvement in their government." 
Berger said Freudenthal is expected to sign the bill within a couple of
weeks, and she hopes Warder, Mayer and Shaw can attend. 
"They did a lot of work on the project, and it should be their day, one to
be proud of," she said. 
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