Land of the Butterflies

Group Description

A Butterfly Garden – Supporting Native Monarch Butterfly Habitat on a Native American Reservation historically known as “Land of the Butterflies”
The Nez Perce Tribe (Tribe) is a federally recognized Native American Tribe with an aboriginal territory more than 13 million acres, which extends from northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington, through north-central Idaho, to southwestern Montana. The Nez Perce Treaty Reservation of 1863 is now approximately 770,500 acres in size. The Nimiipuu people have always resided and subsisted on lands that included the present-day Nez Perce Reservation in north-central Idaho. Today, the Nez Perce Tribe consists of more than 3,5000 citizens/tribal members. Lapwai, Idaho is historically connected to the Nez Perce Tribe, who have lived in the region for centuries. The name Lapwai comes form the Nez Perce word “Thlap-Thlap,” which refers to the sound a butterfly’s wing makes. In the past, Lapwai once had an abundance of butterflies so much the area is now referred to as the “Valley of Butterflies” or “Land of the Butterfly.” Fields, meadows, and hillsides of native flowers were once common in this area, making it attractive to several butterflies. Lapwai is now mostly an agricultural area and butterflies are less abundant than they have been in the past.
The monarch butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) is the official state insect with Idaho being one of the eleven western states that contribute to the western monarch population. Its survival heavily depends on milkweed, as their caterpillars only eat milkweed, and the plant is vital for their breeding and larval stages. Loss of milkweed has been identified as one of the most significant factors contributing to declines of the monarch butterfly. With the monarch facing an uncertain future, the Nez Perce Tribe (NPT) Water Resources Division (WRD) would like to contribute to the milkweed restoration by planting a Native pollinator garden alongside the WRD building. Our goal is to focus on planting Native, flowering plants (including milkweed), that provide nectar and pollen and consider adding resources like water sources and shelter for pollinators. Collectively, these efforts will help not only the Nez Perce Tribe but Idaho as well to conserve and restore native milkweed and nectar corridors – with the goal of keeping Idaho’s monarchs connected across the western landscape. Focusing on planting native plants, especially milkweed, and creating habitats that provide nectar and pollen sources throughout the growing season will hopefully help bring back the name “Land of the Butterfly”. WRD staff will share information about the importance of native plants, the butterfly as well as other pollinators and how the community can help them thrive. This will be a YOUTH led project from ages ranging from 8-15 years old.The adult “menots” will be staff who work for the Tribe (MJ 30 years old, KW 27 years old, BS 25 years old). Our goal is to help the youth find funding for this project, provide the necessary tools to build a pollinator garden, guide them along the project process with any successful tips such as, which Native plants to plant/grow, finding a location to plant, provide food such as nectar plants and host plants, watering plants, etc.