2013: Another successful rearing season for the Taylor’s checkerspot butterflies at Mission Creek

By GRA Dennis Aubrey, SPP Taylor’s Checkerspot Program Coordinator

Our second season rearing Taylor’s checkerspots at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women has just concluded, and again the hard work has paid off. Over 2,800 caterpillars are dormant in their diapause period, waiting to be moved to the cold diapause area for winter, eventually to be woken up and released onto south Puget lowland prairies next March.

Caption: Adult Taylor’s checkerspots are fed honey water with Q-tips every day. Video still by Rosemarie Padovano.

Adult Taylor’s checkerspots are fed honey water with Q-tips every day. Video still by Rosemarie Padovano.

This season began with a similar release, when our 3,000 caterpillars from 2012 found new homes at Glacial Heritage Preserve, south of Littlerock, WA. The remaining 150 in our care were raised to adults and bred to produce this year’s cohort. Breeding introductions were made according to the genetic pairings designated for us by our partners at the Oregon Zoo, and additional wild females were captured to lay eggs in captivity by our partners at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Oviposition study
Additionally, inmates participated in an oviposition preference research project with an Evergreen graduate student, helping to determine which of two native host plants was more preferred for egg laying. Taylor’s checkerspot females choose the host plant for their offspring very carefully, and insight into which ones are most preferred can inform management decisions for restoration in the future.

Newly hatched caterpillars are fed fresh plantain leaves and are also given mashed leaf pulp that we call “plantain pesto”. This helps them gain nutrients more easily until their mouthparts become strong enough to slice through the leaves.

Newly hatched caterpillars are fed fresh plantain leaves and are also given mashed leaf pulp that we call “plantain pesto”. This helps them gain nutrients more easily until their mouthparts become strong enough to slice through the leaves. Video still by Rosemarie Padovano.

Surprising genetic anomaly
Interestingly, at the end of the rearing season, the Oregon Zoo had a small number of caterpillars that refused to go to sleep! Taylor’s checkerspot caterpillars typically go into diapause in early July and don’t wake up until the end of February when they emerge to become adult butterflies. These eight individuals at the Oregon Zoo skipped diapause entirely and went directly into adulthood, a behavior more common in migratory butterflies. Because these few individuals may represent a beneficial genetic anomaly, they were moved to the facility at Mission Creek and given extra special care. Just four possible genetic pairings were identified for breeding, and the inmate technicians were able to successfully pair one of the sets, producing 150 eggs which have now hatched into healthy hungry caterpillars. These are currently being reared in the greenhouse and it will be interesting to learn in the next few weeks if they follow their parents and go directly into adulthood, or if they return to more typical patterns and go into diapause as quickly as they can.

Donate to support SPP
To support SPP’s work with endangered species, please donate funds or materials to our programs. Donation funds are used to recognize the excellent contributions made by inmates and to provide them with educational resources.

SPP Book Now Available at Evergreen Bookstore and Online!

SPP Book Now Available at Evergreen Bookstore and Online!

The Sustainability in Prisons Project Overview book is now available for sale at the Greener Store on Evergreen’s Olympia campus AND online!

Published in August 2012, the book is an overview of SPP, and gives readers an understanding of our organizational structure and the history of SPP-Washington.  New and potential SPP partners across the country and the world will have the chance to read in detail about our conservation and education programs, successful efforts to reduce waste, evaluation programs, and media coverage of the Project.  Essential reading for anyone interested in developing an SPP, increasing sustainable practices in prisons, and improving communities!

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Click here to buy the book from the Greener Store.

Collaboration at Shotwell’s Landing Nursery

By Jaal Mann, Graduate Research Assistant

This past week Shotwell’s Landing hosted visitors from the USFWS, Dr. Karla Drewson and Ted Thomas, and David Hays from WDFW. They admired the more than 100,000 plants for fall plant out and marveled at the amount of seed being cleaned and processed for the restoration of Puget lowland prairies. The site visit also coincided with a work day for the offender technicians. The technicians apprised the visitors of the cultivation techniques for some of the 26 species of native prairie plants grown at Shotwell’s Landing.

Shotwell’s Landing nursery has always been a highly collaborative site for SPP, serving as a hub for seed cleaning, storage, and plant distribution to our many partners.

David Hays (WDFW), Karla Drewson (USFWS), and Ted Thomas (USFWS) discuss Castilleja miniata (giant red Indian paintbrush) plants for prairie propagation.

David Hays (WDFW), Karla Drewson (USFWS), and Ted Thomas (USFWS) discuss Castilleja miniata (giant red Indian paintbrush) plants for prairie propagation.

At the heart of SPP’s work at Shotwell’s Landing lies the partnership between the Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM) and SPP. CNLM owns the site and manages seed production and cleaning, and SPP manages plant production for both direct planting on the prairies and future seed production. Offender technician crews from Cedar Creek Corrections Center provide essential assistance at Shotwell’s Landing to all partners (as well as at several other prairie restoration sites around the area).

David Hays, land manager for WDFW, shows his enthusiasm for the greatly increased yields of rare Plectritis congesta seed at Shotwell’s Landing nursery. Photos by Jaal Mann.
David Hays, land manager for WDFW, shows his enthusiasm for the greatly increased yields…
...of rare Plectritis congesta seed at Shotwell’s Landing nursery. Photos by Jaal Mann.
…of rare Plectritis congesta seed at Shotwell’s Landing nursery. Photos by Jaal Mann.

Key partners who use plant materials produced and processed at Shotwell’s Landing include the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), The Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Ted Thomas and Karla Drewson, USFWS, stopped to discuss the planting of wild Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) with SPP graduate research assistant Drissia Ras and an inmate from Cedar Creek Corrections Center. These plants will be used for planting on prairies in endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly habitat.

Ted Thomas and Karla Drewson, USFWS, stopped to discuss the planting of wild Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) with SPP graduate research assistant Drissia Ras and an inmate from Cedar Creek Corrections Center. These plants will be used for planting on prairies in endangered Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly habitat.

SPP visits the United Nations

By Brittany Gallagher, Education & Evaluations Coordinator

In July, I had the honor of spending two weeks at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, for the UN’s annual Graduate Study Programme (GSP).  I was excited to represent SPP and Evergreen in an international group of graduate students and to learn all I could about international civil service.

Brittany Gallagher, center, at the UN Graduate Study Programme.

This year’s GSP theme was “Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.”  My classmates were students from every continent; representatives came from China, Rwanda, Germany, Mali, Morocco, Australia, Italy, Slovenia, France, Russia, Bolivia, Trinidad & Tobago, and the US, to name only a sample.  Many were studying international relations, law, human rights, or similar topics.  There were a few psychology and public health students, but I was one of only a few studying the environment.  However, thanks to the interdisciplinary nature of Evergreen’s Graduate Program on the Environment and my background in international development, I didn’t feel out of place in education or experience.

We each introduced ourselves to the large group and described our work, studies, and interests.  I was impressed by the level of engagement and the diversity of experience in the room.  After my brief presentation, I entertained a slew of questions about SPP.  These questions continued between classes at the UN office, over lunch, on the tram on the way home, and at the lake on the weekends.  In addition to talking frog conservation with my peers, the speaker from the United Nations Environment Programme was especially interested in what SPP does!  I was reminded of how innovative our project is – people were fascinated by the concept and the practice.  After two years with SPP, I have become accustomed to our mission and daily activities, but I forget that many folks have never heard of conservation programs involving prison inmates.

Representatives from UN agencies visited to present their organizations’ work on gender equality. I went through two notebooks taking copious notes. UNOG photo.
BG at UN Nations gate July 2013

During the two-week program, our class heard from representatives from a variety of UN agencies about their work on gender equality.  We also split up into five working groups and tackled case studies related to the theme.   Each working group was mentored by a UN staff member from the relevant agency; they advised our work and challenged us to create high-quality “work plans” addressing current real-world issues related to gender.  I chose to work in the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) group, and we were given the freedom to select a topic.  We designed a country program for addressing sexual and gender-based violence in camps for internally displaced people in Haiti.  Our report is nearly finished and will be presented to the ‘real’ UNFPA in September.

I am enormously grateful to SPP and Evergreen for supporting my attendance at the GSP, and to the UN for providing students like me with this extraordinary opportunity.  Check out the links in this post and the UN-GSP Facebook page if you want to learn more about it!

As in Olympia, newcomers to Geneva complained about the weather (but, as in Olympia, the weather in July was gorgeous). They also have a Mountain that, like ours, hides on cloudy days. The view from the UN office is great even on an overcast day.

As in Olympia, newcomers to Geneva complained about the weather (but, as in Olympia, the weather in July was gorgeous). They also have a Mountain that, like ours, hides on cloudy days. The view from the UN office is great even on an overcast day.

Take Your Child to Work Day at WCCW

by Fiona Edwards, SPP Graduate Research Assistant

A great horned owl feather is passed around for the kids to see.

A great horned owl feather is passed around for the kids to see.

On Wednesday, Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) hosted Take Your Child to Work Day. SPP Graduate Research Assistants Brittany Gallagher, Bri Morningred, and Fiona Edwards joined the festivities.

At the suggestion of Paula Andrew, the Science and Sustainability Lecture Series lead staff member at WCCW, Brittany invited a popular SPP guest lecturer, Lynne Weber from West Sound Wildlife Shelter, back to visit the prison again. Ms. Weber gave a presentation about birds to the kids.  She brought a great horned owl and a turkey vulture, both of which were hugely successful with the audience. Lynne explained how animals ended up in the care of the West Sound Wildlife Shelter, and how important it is to respect wildlife. Many questions were asked, my favorite being: “Will the turkey vulture get its license when it’s 16?”

Lynne Weber from West Sound Wildlife Shelter shows Remington, a turkey vulture, to the audience.

Lynne Weber from West Sound Wildlife Shelter shows Remington, a turkey vulture, to the audience.

Next up, Brittany and Bri did an exercise on the meaning and applications of sustainability, asking the kids to share their experiences with sustainable practices. Then I spoke about the Western pond turtles, which SPP is expecting to care for very soon. I attempted to explain the concept of shell rot (a disease which the turtles suffer from) without gory details, and when I asked how a healthy turtle’s shell is supposed to feel, one audience member told me, “It’s hard like a sandwich.” In the coming year, I’m hoping to get the sick turtles’ shells back to sandwich levels.

The Prison Pet Partnership came out next with two well-trained dogs. They showed the kids how they could help their future owners by flipping on light switches, closing doors, picking up fallen items, grocery shopping, and rolling on their backs so the owner could inspect for anything unusual. One excited audience member asked if the dogs could jump over the table, to which the head of the program replied that the dogs are in fact taught to jump: one of the dogs jumped over a cardboard box and inspired roaring applause.

After lunch, we helped the children color paper Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly wings and told them about the relationship between the Taylor’s checkerspot and the prairie plants. And even though we were not allowed to give away plugs of beautiful Castilleja hispida to those who asked, we had a great time; we hope we get to come back next year!

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SPP at the World Congress on Positive Psychology

By Joslyn Trivett, SPP Network Manager

Dr. James Pawelski welcomes the crowd to the conference hosted by the International Positive Psychology Association

Dr. James Pawelski welcomes the crowd to the conference hosted by the International Positive Psychology Association

In late June, I attended the third international conference on positive psychology in Los Angeles. There were 1,200 participants with numerous representatives from every continent. Both the participants and the programming represented a huge diversity of expertise. I made friends with a psychiatrist from Australia, a corporate-culture specialist from the Gap, and a community college teacher. I heard the latest research on how love improves physical health, how strength-based coaching transformed a hospital unit’s job satisfaction from the 1st percentile to the 86th percentile within a year, and the benefits of aging on creativity.

It was gratifying to confirm that SPP’s philosophy and practice are very much consistent with positive psychology in practice. I presented an overview on SPP’s positive outcomes—social, economic, and environmental—and heard delighted responses from those attending.

On the topic of environmental sustainability, I attended a panel discussion on how to reduce humanity’s ecological footprint. The panel included John Fraser, our associate at New Knowledge Organization, and he and I challenged the group to pursue societal agendas that are compelling at the same time as pro-environmental. Dr. Fraser suggested SPP programming as a model for a societal shift of this kind: such a welcome compliment!

The starting place for a discussion on reducing human’s global footprint: how to acknowledge real biological limitations and pursue positives leading to sustainability?

The starting place for a discussion on reducing humanity’s global footprint: how to acknowledge real biological limitations and pursue positives leading to sustainability?

Thank you to Mark Hurst, a member of the Evergreen faculty, who invited me to present at the conference. He impressed me with his own programming in western Washington prisons; new data (from Kim Huynh at Seattle Pacific University) from his eight week, strengths-based intervention with incarcerated men show excellent, sustained increases in optimism, hope, and life satisfaction. Thank you also to SPP Co-Directors Carri LeRoy and Dan Pacholke for encouraging me to attend the conference and helping to frame my presentation.

To support the positive work of SPP, please donate or get involved; our innovative work can always use your help and support.

 

Planète Grenouille

By Education & Evaluations Coordinator Brittany Gallagher

01 - PG MNH Entry

Planète Grenouille (“Planet Frog”) is an exhibition running this summer at the National Natural History Museum in Paris. To create the exhibit, photographer Cyril Ruoso visited frogs living in extreme conditions around the world, including SPP’s Oregon spotted frogs at Cedar Creek Corrections Center.  Now his work – and SPP’s frogs – are on display for all to see in Paris!

02 - tree-lined path with posters along fence

A tree-lined walkway leads up to the main museum building, with a fence separating the walkway from the extensive Jardin des Plants, an impressive teaching garden with plants from all over the Francophone world.  It is along this fence that Cyril’s photos are found, larger than life.

07 - metamorphose

Metamorphosis:  “As a tadpole becomes a frog, the prisoners, ostracized from society, transform themselves through a project called “Sustainability in Prisons”.  Little by little, they learn to become useful again, and accompanied by these frogs, reconstruct themselves.”

08 - SPP business card and photos along fence 03 - OSF photos along fence 04 - more OSF photos along fence 05 - people passing by OSF photos

Many people pass by these photos each day – admission to the Jardin des Plants is free to the public!

06 - the frog and the prisoner

“This is a slightly crazy project that grew from the head of a biologist: entrust the breeding of an endangered species to prisoners with the double objective of participating in the conservation of local biodiversity, but also helping to reduce violence in the prison environment.“The candidate for this uncommon rescue is a frog. Native to the northwest of the United States, this frog has seen its numbers fall by more than 70% with the disappearance of many swamps, the arrival of invasive plants and of a redoubtable exotic predator: the bullfrog.

“The eggs entrusted to Matt and Taylor have today become frogs and the time has come to release them to their natural environment in order to enhance wild populations. The long process creates a precious pride in the two prisoners, and has opened up new opportunities for the future. The double gamble has succeeded.”

Washington Corrections Center for Women Celebrates its SPP programs

by Bri Morningred, SPP Graduate Research Assistant and SPP Coordinator for Washington Corrections Center for Women (WCCW) conservation nursery
photos by Shauna Bittle

Heading out for a tour of SPP programs, passing the gorgeous gardens at WCCW

Heading out for a tour of SPP programs, passing the gorgeous gardens at WCCW

It was a beautiful day in Gig Harbor, WA, perfect for the celebration of the amazing sustainability programs at Washington Correction Center for Women (WCCW). We had prepared for the celebration for months, and it was gratifying to share with partners and the public the many contributions offenders have made to a sustainable prison community.

Restoration and Conservation Coordinator Carl Elliott describes the SPP conservation nursery program at WCCW

Restoration and Conservation Coordinator Carl Elliott describes the SPP conservation nursery program at WCCW

The tour began with introductions from the superintendent of WCCW, Jane Parnell, and from Carri LeRoy and Carl Elliott of SPP. The tour’s first stop was the Conservation Nursery hoop houses at the minimum security campus. Attendees had a chance to watch the conservation nursery crew at work, walk through the carpet of Indian paintbrush (Castilleja hispida) that was beautifully in bloom, and speak with the SPP staff and offender technicians about the conservation nursery program.

Outside and inside of one of the hoop houses in the conservation nursery

Outside and inside of one of the hoop houses in the conservation nursery

Scott Skaggs, Construction and Maintenance Project Supervisor and WCCW manager of the conservation nursery crew, examines a plant showing signs of insect damage

Scott Skaggs, Construction and Maintenance Project Supervisor and WCCW manager of the conservation nursery crew, demonstrates monitoring for insect damage on Indian paintbrush

SPP Graduate Research Assistant Bri Morningred enjoys a moment of success with an inmate technician in the conservation nursery

SPP Graduate Research Assistant Bri Morningred enjoys a high five with an offender technician in the conservation nursery

Indian paintbrush (Castilleja species) thriving in the conservation nursery

Indian paintbrush thriving in the conservation nursery

Next up was the community gardens on the way to medium security campus. This leg of the tour was led by Ed Tharp, who runs the Horticulture Program at WCCW. These gardens are in the courtyard area of the minimum security campus and grow a variety of foods that are harvested for the prison’s kitchen.

Ed Tharp, x Community College, runs the horticultural program at WCCW

Ed Tharp, Tacoma Community College, runs the horticultural program at WCCW

The final tour stop was in the concrete courtyard of the medium security campus. Located next to the education building—which houses the horticulture classroom, the floral program, and many other wonderful educational programs—there are various garden beds  growing onions, garlic, and strawberries.

Enjoying the strawberry beds at WCCW

Enjoying the strawberry beds at WCCW

Assistant Superintendent for WCCW David Flynn, the champion of many SPP programs for the facility, talks to the group about recent activities

Assistant Superintendent for WCCW David Flynn, the champion of many SPP programs for the facility, talks to the group about recent activities

Audrey Lamb, Conservation Assistant at the Center for Natural Lands Management, regards gardens in the close custody area of WCCW

The tour visits gardens in the close custody area of WCCW; Audrey Lamb, Conservation Assistant at the Center for Natural Lands Management, in the foreground

We ended with a poster session and awards ceremony in the gymnasium.  We ate prison-grown salad and strawberries and cupcakes decorated with prairie flowers. Attendees toured  informational tables for many of the sustainable programs at WCCW, including the Prison Pet Partnership Program, Mother Earth Farms, the Horticulture Program, Food Services, the Recycling Program, Sustainability in Prisons Project, and Center for Natural Lands Management.

SPP's Carl Elliott receives prison-grown salad at the poster session

SPP’s Carl Elliott receives fresh garden salad at the poster session

Melissa Johnson (?), publicity and outreach for WCCW, admires the horticultural program display at the poster session

Melissa Johnson, publicity and outreach for WCCW, admires the horticultural program display at the poster session

Best cupcakes ever! Bri Morningred and x bakery collaborated to produce native plant-decorated cupcakes for the celebration. They also tasted great!

Best cupcakes ever! SPP’s Bri Morningred collaborated with a local bakery to produce native plant-decorated cupcakes for the celebration. They also tasted great!

Jane Parnell, Superintendent of WCCW, presents an inmate technician with a certificate of appreciation at an awards ceremony

Jane Parnell, Superintendent of WCCW, presents an offender technician with a certificate of appreciation at an awards ceremony

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An offender technician on the conservation nursery crew shows a certificate of appreciation recognizing her dedication to the program

It was wonderful to get to recognize the amazing things happening at WCCW. The prisons community is  taking great strides toward sustainable living and it is inspiring to work with them towards that goal.

SPP Crazy Idea Party and Think Tank

By Brittany Gallagher, Graduate Research Assistant

SPP-Washington has grown at an unprecedented rate over the past year.  We have been busier than ever and have doubled the number of graduate students working out of our Evergreen offices.  We have started several new educational and job-training programs, have been the subject of national press attention, have presented at various conferences, and of course, have begun supporting new SPPs springing up across the United States.

There are many moving pieces involved in our operations: new and established partnerships evolve over time, funding sources change, and staff members join and leave the team for a variety of reasons.  This theme of dynamism runs throughout our organization, and may be understood as akin to ecological disturbance.  As in a dynamic and healthy ecosystem, changes in our organization make us stronger and more resilient (see our recent TEDx talk on this theme).

In this period of great growth and change, SPP wanted to pause and throw a little party.  We wanted to take a snapshot and capture the ideas and dreams of the team as it stands in June 2013.  As three SPP graduate research assistants recently finished their Master of Environmental Studies degrees at The Evergreen State College, they will be moving on from their positions with SPP at the end of the summer, making room for new MES students to work with the Project.  And Vicki Briggs, a highly valued staff member at the Department of Corrections, is retiring from her position as the on-site lead for the Oregon spotted frog-rearing program at Cedar Creek Corrections Center, welcoming Classification Counselor Anthony Pickard to take over.  This “think tank” or “crazy idea party,” as it came to be called, was our chance to capture the ideas of these folks as they move into or out of formal employment with SPP, as well as for everyone to dream big and think about what we’d all like to see for SPP’s future. 

Along with other innovative ideas, the party's drawing group points out the benefits of sharks with laser beams for prison security.

Along with other innovative ideas, the party’s drawing group points out the benefits of sharks with laser beams for prison security.

We took over a room at Ramblin’ Jacks restaurant in downtown Olympia on a bright Friday evening and enjoyed some silly and serious thinking over hors d’oeuvres.  A “Big Idea Basket” made its way around the room, and participants scribbled their hopes and dreams for SPP on index cards, folding them and placing them in the basket.  Several times throughout the evening, three cards were drawn from the basket and the ideas were read aloud, with applause determining the winner.  Here are a few of the crazy ideas (reworded for clarity and context):

·         By 2020, there should be a prioritized and complete list of endangered species that can be raised in captivity by inmates. The top 5 to 10 of these should be priority conservation projects within corrections facilities.

·         By 2020, prisons should be creating sustainability kits for schools, homes, jails, government offices, college campuses, homes and more!

·         The next move of the SPP should be to provide an overview books to inmates, asking for their thoughts on sustainability programs. The inmates should have a say in what should happen next. 

With the help of some SPP staff who moonlight as thespians, we took a page from theater improv and played the “Yes, and” game.   Ideas generated through this positivity-only activity ranged from SPP expanding into youth rehabilitation centers, inmates finding the cure for colony collapse disorder, and SPP becoming its own degree-granting institution.

SPP co-director Carri LeRoy toasted graduating student Andrea Martin; interim Program Manager Joslyn Trivett toasted graduating student Dennis Aubrey; Program Manager Kelli Bush toasted graduating student Brittany Gallagher, and co-director Dan Pacholke toasted retiring staff member Vicki Briggs.

The final party game allowed folks to pick their own creative skills – theater, drawing, or writing – and join with others with similar talents to create an SPP-themed work of art within about 10 minutes.  The writing group wrote a limerick that went a little like this:

There once was an inmate in prison
Who taught his frogs how to listen
He sucked at compliance
But then he found science
And now he’s no risk for recidivism

The drawing group made a plan of a prison where economic, social, and environmental sustainability could be seen in every element. One of the coolest parts of the plan was that inmates and their families could live together at a prison facility. A school was on the grounds for children, and this also allowed for meaningful activities like gardening to be completed with children and partners.

The group of actors created a skit about the prisons of the future where inmates are partners in groundbreaking scientific research. One of the major accomplishments of prisons was to bring back long extinct species, like dinosaurs.

While at times quite silly, it was a challenging exercise to think really big about the Project. Thinking creatively about how much potential inmates and correctional institutions have to make big changes to the environment and society was empowering and fun. Some of those ideas may seem crazy, but inmates raising frogs and butterflies definitely seemed crazy just five years ago. We can’t wait to see how SPP grows and expands in the next five years!

Crazy Ideas_skit

SPP thespians act out how prisons can contribute to amazing scientific achievements.

Butterflies from MCCCW released with the help of Attorney General’s office attorneys

By Graduate Research Assistants Dennis Aubrey, Fiona Edwards, and Jaal Mann

Last week 48 adult Taylor’s checkerspots were released at a restoration site within the Scatter Creek Wildlife Area. The release was attended by three graduate research assistants from SPP, two restoration ecologists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), and 18 attorneys from the Washington Attorney General’s office. It was a rare treat for everyone involved.

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An attorney from the Attorney General’s office frees an adult Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly at Scatter Creek Wildlife Area. All photos by Jaal Mann.

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Another attorney enjoys a moment with a butterfly before it takes flight

The attorneys, who are responsible for representing WDFW in court, appeared especially enthusiastic and moved by the experience—there were many beautiful smiles as the butterflies left their hands. Dennis Aubrey, the SPP coordinator of the Taylor’s checkerspot program at MCCCW, provided instruction on proper release techniques, and then everyone had a chance to set a butterfly free: coaxing them out of their cups, placing them on flowers, or simply letting them fly away across the prairie.

This marks the winding down of the second season of butterfly rearing at MCCCW. Adult butterflies are released after breeding activities are concluded, to allow them to finish out their days in the sunshine, feeling the wind and tasting the flowers. These butterflies and their siblings are responsible for laying over 3,000 eggs at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women (MCCCW) this season, which have hatched and are cared for by the inmates until release next March. To date, the MCCCW endangered butterfly rearing program has successfully reared and released over 7,000 Taylor’s checkerspot caterpillars onto prairie restoration sites in the south Puget lowlands.

Carefully releasing a Taylor's checkerspot butterfly into the wild

Carefully releasing a Taylor’s checkerspot butterfly

The butterfly takes its first flight at Scatter Creek Wildlife Area

The butterfly takes flight at Scatter Creek Wildlife Area

Lomatium provides a welcome landing site for a newly released butterfly

Lomatium provides a welcome landing site for a newly released butterfly