Butterfly gardens are a powerful way to connect children and communities with nature while supporting threatened species. The Threatened Species Conservancy (TSC) partners with schools, kindergartens, and community centres to design and deliver native gardens that attract butterflies, provide habitat for their caterpillars, and serve as outdoor classrooms for environmental learning.
Each butterfly garden is planted with local host plants that support the full butterfly life cycle. These gardens create colourful, biodiverse spaces while teaching participants about conservation, climate resilience, and the role of insects in healthy ecosystems.
Project Strategy
-
Collaborate with schools, kindergartens, and community centres to co-design butterfly gardens tailored to their site.
-
Plant native host plants that support caterpillars and provide nectar for adult butterflies.
-
Deliver workshops for students, teachers, and community members on butterfly identification, life cycles, and ecological importance.
-
Establish long-term monitoring opportunities through citizen science platforms such as iNaturalist.
-
Encourage participants to become butterfly stewards, taking their knowledge back into their own gardens and networks.
Key Achievements
-
Created a thriving butterfly garden at Cowes Primary School, engaging students and staff in planting and long-term care.
-
Established butterfly gardens at Apollo Bay Community Centre and Apollo Bay Kindergarten, transforming community spaces into vibrant, biodiverse habitats.
-
Delivered education sessions and workshops that engaged children, teachers, parents, and volunteers.
-
Inspired over 50 community members to contribute to butterfly monitoring, with 177 observations of 24 species uploaded to iNaturalist.
-
Published community resources including the Otways Coastal Butterfly Field Guide to support identification and learning.
Estimated Cost: Variable depending on size, location, planting, and workshops ($5,000–$15,000 typical). Get in touch if you would like a quote for a program for your school.
