Founder Robert Michael Pyle | ||
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Similar Cornucopia Institute, International Federation of Organi, NatureServe, National Wildlife Federation, Center for Biological Diversity | ||
Founded by Robert Michael Pyle, the Xerces Society is a non-profit environmental organization that focuses on the conservation of invertebrates considered to be essential to biological diversity and ecosystem health. The name is in honor of the extinct California butterfly, the Xerces blue (Glaucopsyche xerces).
The Society collaborates with federal and state agencies including the US Department of Agriculture, as well as scientists, land managers, educators, and citizens to promote invertebrate conservation, applied research, advocacy, public outreach and education. Examples of Xerces Society activities include advocating for invertebrates and their habitats, petitioning for the designation of endangered status for applicable species such as the monarch butterfly, and public education projects. Ongoing projects include the rehabilitation of habitat for endangered species, public education about the importance of native pollinators, and the restoration and protection of watersheds.