Landowners sought to help save island marble butterfly
Published 1:30 am Sunday, March 29, 2026
Submitted by the San Juan Islands Conservation District.
The San Juan Islands Conservation District seeks San Juan Island landowners interested in developing habitat restoration plots in support of native island marble butterflies. You may have seen these beautiful, yellow-flowering plots popping up around you, some of which have successfully hosted butterflies! Due largely to habitat loss, the endangered island marble butterfly has been reduced to a single-known population across San Juan Island. With only 200-500 individuals remaining, the island marble butterfly needs your help! Join private landowners and land managers across San Juan and Lopez islands in creating new homes for the species in your field or backyard with the help of the Conservation District.
Given the small range of the butterfly, landowners are particularly needed on southern San Juan Island at this time. This species of butterfly does not fly very far, so it is important to create as much habitat as possible to facilitate movement from the area around American Camp to other habitats where the island marble butterfly can do well and increase its existing numbers. Habitat connectivity between these plots is critical for their survival.
Landowners can make a big difference for this species of butterfly found nowhere else in the world. By partnering with the San Juan Islands Conservation District, you can elect to dedicate a small piece of land to protect essential habitat. The Conservation District provides essential, protective fencing, field mustard host plants (Brassica rapa), and native nectar plants free of charge. This can give the island marble butterfly everything it needs to complete its life cycle from egg to larva, pupa and adult. Outside of American Camp, much of the island marble butterfly’s previous range can only be found on private lands. Recovery efforts rely on private landowners as more and more habitat is created on San Juan and Lopez islands.
When working with the San Juan Islands Conservation District, you are working in a voluntary capacity with a non-regulatory agency that helps private and public landowners improve natural resources for all species, often at no cost. This means that you decide how and where you can help provide habitat. The District is currently working with dozens of landowners to establish and maintain healthy habitats that provide benefits for the island marble butterfly and other native pollinators. Since 1947, we have helped thousands of landowners in San Juan County enhance their farms, forests, streams and other resources for the benefit of all.
Together, we can save the island marble butterfly from extinction. If you or someone you know is interested in adding an island marble butterfly habitat to your property, please contact Island Marble Butterfly Project Manager Walt Andrews at walt@sjicd.org.
