Niagara Falls might be one of the wonders of the natural world. But just a 10 minute drive away you can visit an outstanding site devoted to one of nature's most delicate living beauties. It is also a tribute to an innovative sustainable industry for villages far away in the tropics.
On a recent drive along the Canadian side of the Niagara Gorge, I happened to pass the Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory. I've been intending to take my daughters there on a day trip, so I decided to scout it out.
Located at Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, the conservatory houses 2000 butterflies. They fly freely in a tropical garden of palms, vines, bromeliads and orchids. There are even waterfalls, presumably for the iridescent blue morpho, which likes to flutter right into the spray.
Many butterfly houses include only native butterflies. Since these species are dormant in winter, the facilities close for the season.
The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory includes tropical butterflies from many parts of the world. Some 40 species are active at any time, and the conservatory deals with over 120 species through the year.
The staff breeds some of them. Other species arrive as chrysalises from butterfly farms in tropical countries.
Our human fondness for butterflies has helped develop a fascinating industry in countries such as Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. Butterfly farms raise larvae to stock a growing number of live exhibits in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Preserved adult butterflies also supply an industry for gift items and framed specimens.
The environmental benefits of this industry are multifaceted. Butterfly farms include land areas of natural habitat and native plants. This helps conserve wild populations of butterflies and other species. It also provides a sustainable alternative use for land and natural resources, which does not involve habitat destruction.
It also provides an alternate source of income to communities lacking in other resources. The demand for butterfly stock is relatively stable, balancing the whimsical fluctuations in the value of common tropical crops such as coffee, bananas and sugar.
Unfortunately butterflies are not a food item. That means their potential as a commodity is limited. Some environmental organizations tout butterfly farms as a cure-all for tropical communities that lack other resources but are rich in butterflies. Not so! The supply of species from some Latin American countries is already pushing their prices down.
Still, the industry shows remarkable creativity on the part of entrepreneurs around the world. It draws tourists to farms and nature centres in tropical countries, too.
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