Description: The project aimed to identify key butterfly habitat areas and develop conservation action plans to benefit endemic butterfly species in the Madeira region. It successfully achieved its objectives, meeting most targets outlined and exceeding predicted data collection targets. Data collection efforts provided baseline information, leading to the production of Action Plans and identification of Key Butterfly Areas (KBAs), while establishing monitoring transects surpassed planned targets. Unexpected benefits included partnerships with governmental entities, universities, and NGOs, expanding monitoring efforts across the entire archipelago and engaging volunteers in broader insect monitoring initiatives. Challenges such as COVID-related restrictions and weather conditions affected project timelines and stakeholder engagement, emphasising the importance of early planning, adaptable strategies, and efficient resource utilization for stakeholder outreach. Stakeholders engaged included governmental institutes, NGOs, and educational institutions, contributing to capacity building, research collaboration, and awareness-raising activities. Lessons learned highlighted the need for improved stakeholder engagement strategies, recommending early planning, diverse outreach methods, and better coordination with stakeholders’ schedules. Despite challenges, the project’s success establishes a precedent for similar initiatives in other Macaronesian archipelagos, potentially leading to broader regional collaboration and conservation actions.
Duration: 16 months
