Rescue operation for a rare species of butterfly

The alcon blue is a small, beautiful butterfly. The species is declining in many parts of Europe, and in Denmark it is currently found only  scattered and in small numbers. Among other things, in the Wadden Sea area, where smaller 'remaining populations' can be found on the heaths of Rømø, Fanø and a few places on the mainland. Now, efforts to save the rare butterfly are accelerated.

Over the next three years, a nature project will be implemented to restore and connect suitable habitats for the alcon blue butterfly on approximately 300 hectares in the Wadden Sea National Park. The efforts will take place in four areas: Fanø, Rømø, Marbæk Plantage and Ålbæk Hede north of Højer. The efforts will be:

• create natural corridors that connect the butterfly's habitats
• remove invasive species and dense vegetation 
• restore natural hydrology and promote biodiversity by improving water levels and moisture retention 
• reintroduce grazing with animals to create dynamic landscapes 

The nature project will be developed and implemented by the Wadden Sea National Park in collaboration with the Danish consultancy Upstream Partners, with support from SER and Microsoft.       This is a source of joy for Peter Saabye Simonsen, head of the Wadden Sea National Park.

"We are proud to collaborate with the Society for Ecological Restoration and Microsoft to implement an important nature restoration project in the national park. Through the project, we will create new habitats for the rare alcon blue butterfly and generally promote biodiversity," says Peter Saabye Simonsen.

Involvement of the local community

In addition to the nature restoration itself, the project includes a number of communication activities for both the local population and visitors. This will include events where interested parties are invited out into the nature of the Wadden Sea. Local citizens, schools and nature organizations will also be involved in the project through various tasks such as monitoring, restoration, setting up information signs and educational activities. This part of the project will primarily be carried out in collaboration with local institutions and nature guides in the Wadden Sea area.

Standards-based ecological restoration

Microsoft’s support for the project is part of a broader collaboration with SER to promote nature restoration in the communities where the company operates. Through the Standards-based Restoration in Action program, this project will support the restoration of 300 hectares of nature in the Wadden Sea area.

In this regard, Gaby DelaGarza, senior director of Global Datacenter Community Affairs at Microsoft, says:

“Microsoft is proud to collaborate with SER and the Wadden Sea National Park to deliver standards-based ecological restoration in the national park. By collaborating with SER and Wadden Sea National Park, we have been able to expand restoration projects globally and grow the network of sustainability-focused non-profits that Microsoft supports.”

An approach based on collaboration

In addition to supporting the recovery of the alcon  blue butterfly, the project in the Wadden Sea area highlights the importance of collaboration in advancing standards-based ecological restoration, bringing together local expertise and international support to address complex environmental challenges.

"The project in the Wadden Sea National Park shows how collaboration between local actors and international organizations is a crucial part of the equation if the math is to work out what we all owe to nature," says Senior Consultant at Upstream Partners, Thilde Nørgaard Holm. "By combining local expertise with support from SER and Microsoft, the project points to an approach that can help deal with the complex challenges we face. The ambition is not to present a perfect solution, but a model that can handle the complexity of reality .”