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Community youth group receive butterfly chocolate bars.
SBBT » Latest News and Blog » Blog » How can chocolate save butterflies?

How can chocolate save butterflies?

7th July 2023 by SBBT

The Natewa Swallowtail, Papilio natewa. © Greg Kerr.

There are nearly 600 species of swallowtails and birdwings across the world, but sadly, many of these spectacular butterflies are under threat.

One of the biggest challenges they face is destruction of their habitat, often due to deforestation, drainage and intensive agriculture. But agro-ecotourism projects which put the community at the heart of their work could provide a lifeline for these wonderful insects.

Richard Markham, SBBT’s Honorary Coordinator for Natewa Swallowtail studies in Fiji, runs one such programme. KokoMana is a small cocoa farm and factory in Daku that seeks to contribute to economic growth and livelihoods in a way that respects local culture and values, while protecting the natural environment.

Sustainability is vital to their operation. From biodegradable packaging to using solar-heated water, KokoMana emphasizes the importance of protecting the local environmental and biodiversity. Keeping a mix of native plant species among the crops also promotes biological control of pests in the crop and sustains a healthy diversity of native species of insects, including butterflies, and birds.

And beyond using environmentally friendly practices and materials to run their factory and farm, they also recognise the importance of empowering local communities.

As well as purchasing cocoa at fair prices from nearby farmers and providing guidance on restoring old cocoa farms, KokoMana work with partners to develop ecotours, which help local communities highlight and protect their unique biodiversity whilst providing vital income.

Community youth group receiving butterfly chocolate bars.

Thanks to a grant from SBBT, the team have now created a butterfly house at Vusaratu on the Natewa Peninsula to help educate visitors and tourists about the incredible diversity of butterflies in this region, including the Natewa Swallowtail, Papilio natewa.

By showing how ecotourism and agro-ecotourism can support long-term, sustainable livelihoods, SBBT and projects like Richard’s hope that land-owning communities can be empowered to protect their remaining forests and the varied and wonderful wildlife which relies on them. Which may mean you can add saving butterflies to your list of excuses to eat chocolate…

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Chocolate, Ecotourism, Fiji, Natewa Swallowtail, Swallowtail

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    Our Mission

    The mission of the Swallowtail and Birdwing Butterfly Trust is to conserve and protect members of the Papilionidae, a worldwide family of more than 580 species that include the largest, most spectacular and most endangered butterflies on the planet.
     

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    SBBT aims to build the capacity of local people and organisations to achieve long-lasting conservation and sustainable change.

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    We achieve this in four ways: we raise financial resources; convene research networks and partnerships; catalyse action, and provide scientific and technical support to conservation projects.

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