The Tale of Atala and Coontie

The Tale of Atala and Coontie

The history of the Atala butterfly and its host plant, the coontie cycad. How they were almost wiped out and how you can help.

By UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

Date and time

Wednesday, November 6 · 4 - 5pm EST

Location

13800 Tamiami Trl

13800 Tamiami Trail North Port, FL 34287

About this event

  • 1 hour

The Anthropocene era has caused the loss of numerous plant and animal species. However, there's a positive story of two local species, the coontie plant (Zamia integrifolia) and the Atala butterfly (Eumaeus atala), that have rebounded from the brink of extinction thanks to improved human behavior and practices.

The coontie plant, historically utilized by Florida's indigenous people, was driven close to extinction due to European settlers' commercial exploitation. It has now rebounded as a staple in Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ practices. Similarly, the Atala butterfly, once imperiled, has benefitted from conservation efforts alongside the coontie's resurgence. This success story underscores the potential for saving other endangered species through culturally informed landscaping choices, transforming landscapes into biodiverse habitats and preserving interconnected ecosystems.

Instructor: Forest Hecker, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Specialist, Sarasota County.

Register early through ufsarasotaext.eventbrite.com to reserve your spot and receive notice of any changes.

For questions or further information, please call 941-861-5000 or email sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu. If you require special accommodations to attend one of our events, please contact us in advance at 941-861-5000 or sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu.

NOTE: Classes and events may be canceled at any time due to low registration or other circumstances, with full refunds issued for paid events. Similar classes or events often are offered on future dates.

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Type: Take a Class

Topic: Nature, Gardening

Organization name: UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

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UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County

UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County provides practical education you can trust, to help people, businesses and communities solve problems, develop skills and build a better future. This service is a partnership between the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Sarasota County.

For regular updates on the latest news and happenings at UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County, sign up to receive our e-newsletters.

An Equal Opportunity Institution. The University of Florida is committed to providing universal access to all of our events. For disability accommodations, such as sign language interpreters and listening devices, please contact311 (941-861-5000 outside Sarasota County) or sarasota@ifas.ufl.edu at least two weeks in advance. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs. Learn more at ada.ufl.edu and scgov.net/ada.