Miami Butterfly Project Cover Story

Fri Apr 5 15:04:30 EST 2002

http://www.citylinkmagazine.com/coverstory.html

Hi, 

A reasonably good article on the Miami Blue Butterfly has been
printed as this week's cover story in the April 3-9 Issue of City
Link Magazine(a southeast Florida magazine).We certainly appreciate
all of the positive PR we can receive. The author interviewed me for
days. I also supplied large amounts of documentation to guard against
confusion and mistakes. 

Some glaring omissions and misquotes, however, which happens often.
but there is something much more alarming to myself and many
thousands of leps people reading this before your papper even thinks
to print it. 

Many of my quotes (all of the scientific ones) seem to be attributed
to Jeffrey Glassberg. He also makes this a forum about "collecting"
abuses as if leps people are a bunch of outlaws! Also, it is not made
clear that HE is the person who divulged last year the location of
the last colonies of the Miami Blue (for a convention field trip for
God's sake!). He is, as expected, certainly going to try and take
credit for all of the efforts that hundred's of you are doing and
about to do. 

I would recomend that all who have not formally joined the Project do
so and get the word out on Earth Day. This is a golden opportunity to
educate ALL on this butterfly and its certain demise if efforts are
not soon taken. Earth Day, since 1970, when I had the blessing to
work with the original 5, is a very important event. In these
troubled environmental times it has of great importance.
Particularily to young people who are just "coming on the scene" so
to speak.

He critizes the lack of immediate action by the USFWS and proclaims
to be on top of this thing. I am a strong supporter of NABA but this
type of rhetoric on his part, disturbs me greatly. After this
subspecies is listed (Next fall, I would imagine.) It will become
very difficult to restore this lovely critter. I see the handwriting
on the wall. We, with the blesing of martin and others are taking the

opportunity to do the project before the species is so tied up with
"red tape" and the maneuverings of developers, etc.

If I seem unduly incensed it might be due to this: "Oddly, Jeffrey
Glassberg of NABA, which filed the petition to get the Miami blue
listed, isn’t very familiar with this group" [[MIami Blue Butterfly
restoration Project]]. Oddly is right! There have been hundreds of
postings on the internet.  He later states "I don’t know what their
plan is,"he says, and then further states "but they don’t represent
anyone other than themselves. I do know of a number of people
associated with the group, mainly people who have been amateur
butterfly collectors." Well if this is not a contradiction I never
heard one. Does he have an agenda? You bet your bottom dollar he
does!
I have been defending this guy on 5 lists for over 18 months and I
regret every word of it! 

He is quoted as to "applying for grants". That is a word for word
quote of mine. I am not inducing so many people to spend their time
and money to be insulted by these statements nor suffer the public
upon whom we depend so greatly on to be mislead by his statements. I
hope you read the article folks.

Obviously to me he is contradicting himself. This is so far from the
truth as to be ridiculous. I do not "know" any amateur collectors.
The scientists who are attached to this Project are every single one
who has ever worked on this subspecies plus several who are world
experts on "blues". Including the primary authors of his own
publication _Butterflies through Binoculars...Florida. The only
"collectors" I know are serious lepidopterists. Glassberg's lists of
common names includes very few subspecies. Anyone who has ever been
involved in endangered species biology and conservation knows that
subspecies populations (such as the Florida Panther) are the
populations which  listed! 

For a man with such a scientific background I find it hard to believe
any of his statements to be sincere since they overlook the most
obvious. Did it ever occur to anyone that if and after *thomasi* is
listed the efforts to reintroduce it will be almost impossible? 

We have a grassroots effort. Any plans by NABA's Glassberg appear to
just capitalize on the PR and then wait for the listing and hope for
an appointed recovery team. We have many dozens of NABA members and
chapters waitng patiently to go to work. We have birders, gardeners,
breeders, arborists, landscapers, Extension, naturalists, biologists
and other people. It seems that Glassberg, from whom I have been
patiently waiting for contact, should join with this Project and go
forward. I see in this attempt to turn the article into an
anti-"collecting" and anti-science piece a self-serving attitude that
is contemptable and deserving of an apology to the people like John
Calhoun  (Vice-Chair Science, Mark Salvato and others who have worked
on this project. John, Mark, and Jeff Slotten did the definitive
study upon which our work is based! To call these men " amateur
collectors" is libelous.

A large part of the article (I realize the journalistic tendencies to
include the controversial)is used as a forum to air his
"anti-collecting" stance. I, NOT he made the point that the
population was in danger from vandals and unscruptulous collectors. 

Scientists (who would never do such a thing) collect in order to get
the data needed to save populations. I practice non-consumptive
lepidoptery myself because I have no reason, scientifically, to
collect and preserve. However, there is NO way many studies of Leps
can be done without voucher specimens. The same is true of other
taxa. It is exemplary that many birdes and others are turning to
butterfly watching. It is great! This upsurge in popularity lends
more support for the species. The growing number would put a bit of
pressure on some of the butterflies if they all were wielding nets.
Besides, most of the places they go are parks and refuges where
special permits are needed to collect for science. He talks of the
"outlaws" not the norm, particularly the scientists! Tom Emmell's
comments were based on science and experience not non-sense.

My main goal is setting up a study base for monitoring the efforts
over time, and during the task force phase, supporting the grassroots
efforts in south florida and the Keys, buying lands for the growth of
the populations, exploring some possibilities of less invasive hosts,
having everyone with a garden have a butterfly garden with some hosts
for the Blue, We have groups who will educated the public as to which
species of blues are present and how tto ID in the field without a
net! John Calhoun, Vice-Chair for science has created a brochure of
exceptional quality to be printed and distributed by the 10's of
thousands. Glassberg demeans us as if we are amateurs. I know of no
one in the group who just fell off the turnip truck. They, too,  are
welcome. Did we not know of the other species of blues? did
glassbereg read Calhoun et al and its many sources? All of us did.

We are quite organized (much to the dismay of some of the people
involved or "almost involved" (including the protege who led the
public to Bahia honda state park last year after Glassberg would not
divulge the location to the scientists who have been working on this
for years but it is because of PR like this that we have our "ducks
in order". And to quote this peice I have them on a "tight rein" as
is stated in the article. ity is not because they are a unruly mob
but because my leaders have gotten them excited about doing something
healthy and good in a nation falling apart. We do not need anyone
P---on the parade. Some of us can do it right back. 

We are volunteers. My Clean Millennium Movement, radio show "Ecology
Today", TV production's, projects in our Institute of Ecological and
Environmental Studies, Clean Energy, Water Resources, Environmental
Education, Environmentaly-Based Commerce (Eco Tourism and more)
Special Issues and Environmental Communications Directorates make our
FREE time valuuable. I, after 36 years as a journalist, tend to frown
on being misquoted. The International Lepidoptery Survey, under whose
501.C umbrella, the Project is housed is doing great things to
straight out the taxonomic dilemmas which exist in Lepidoptery.
Glassberg did not even use the correct scientific name when "he"
petioned the USFW for listing. obviously, someone neems to properly
name these bugs before we can save them...Don't you think?

The bottom line is do not waste our time, play games or get in our
way. We are on the right track and do not need to be bushwacked by
amateurs.

One other point. I could give a rat's --- about poems, songs,
children's dances, "Butterflies for Peace", raps, tote bags, CD's tee
shirts etc... EXCEPT to raise money and popularlize the Project... We
do not have Glassberg's millions.

Bob Parcelles, Jr.
Project Manager, TILLS and C2M's Miami Blue Butterfly Restoration
Project (MBBRP)
Donate (Tax Deductable) Here: 
http://www.tils-ttr.org/
******************************
Bob Parcelles, Jr.
Pinellas Park, FL
Ecologist, RJP Associates
BWPTi/C2M
Reply To: parcbob at aol.com
Phone: (727) 548-9775
Toll Free: (888) 257-3077 PIN # 3711 Fax: (720) 441-3682
Nature Potpourri
Care2's Race for the Rainforest
#####################################################################

=====
Bob Parcelles, Jr
Pinellas Park, FL
RJP Associates, C2M-BWPTi
rjparcelles at yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturepotpourri
"Change your thoughts and you change your world."
- Norman Vincent Peale

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/

 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl 