Saturday the 22nd of May 2021 was the International Day For Biological Diversity. To mark this day, raise awareness of biological diversity, and prompt action on environmental protection ‘WithNature2020’ organised a global event called ‘A Tapestry Of Species’.

Part of the live event which appeared on the Youtube Livestream

The idea was to create animal sculptures all over the world, to highlight local species that are under threat. Eighteen events took place worldwide from New Zealand to Australia, Europe to the USA.

Volunteers start to assemble the butterfly sculpture

Perranporth Marine Conservation Group organised an event at Perranporth school, sculpting a Silver-studded Blue Butterfly, which is native to the local sand dunes.  The sculpture was designed by local artist Pip Bryson.

Sculptors using material and clothes donated by the local community

As the organisers of the event outlined, this butterfly was chosen because it “is one of our most threatened butterfly species and therefore requires special conservation action. The butterfly has declined enormously during the past century because much of its habitat has been destroyed by our human activity. Worryingly, it is now virtually absent from four-fifths of its former range and it has declined by 71% since 1800. It lives in the sand dunes and heathlands of Cornwall”.

One Silver-studded Blue Butterfly finished

A group of volunteers brought the sculpture to life, supported by Cornwall Butterfly Conversation, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Dynamic Dunescapes, and Perranporth School.

The finished sculpture from above

This was a busy day as all of the footage had to be shot and edited in just five hours, to be part of the WithNature2020 Livestream event on Youtube.

By Jamie Turnbull