30 Nebraskaland • August-September 2022
out just once a month, you can miss a whole species," Holly
said.
But beyond that, there are many reasons why they do what
they do. Part of it is the sheer adventure that every day of
surveying brings.
"I think one of the things that keeps us going is seeing how
it changes, what's going to be new the next day, or that year.
The unknown," Joanne said. "You don't really know what
you're going to discover."
Another big pull is the camaraderie between them; the two
say they're best friends, and they enjoy exchanging ideas
about what they're observing. "We can bounce ideas off of
each other and see what's new each week," Joanne said.
Holly also appreciates the exercise, the chance to learn,
and the chance to give back. "The project gives me the
opportunity to gather data to help shape the decisions
made on a local level about habitat restoration," she said.
And, through presentations and butterfl y tours that she
and Joanne give, they're able to communicate about habitat,
species decline and climate change, she said.
Making a Difference
Each year, Joanne compiles the information into two
reports summing up what they've observed at Fontenelle
Forest and Lauritzen Gardens. She analyzes each trail,
garden and butterfl y that she and Holly saw, including bar
charts, pictures, graphs and endless arrays of numbers. Last
year, her reports each spanned over 130 pages.
The data is welcome, site managers say. "It's extremely
valuable," said Michelle Foss, director of resource
stewardship at Fontenelle Forest. "Every year I get super
excited about going through the reports with Joanne and
fi nding out what they've seen."
At Fontenelle Forest, staff use Joanne and Holly's data to
help measure the success of their restoration eff orts. The
area, once a healthy oak woodland, is overrun with invasive
plants and animals, as well as shade-tolerant trees that
wouldn't typically be found there. As trees are removed, and
a more open forest structure is restored, staff are hoping to
see butterfl ies that prefer that type of habitat, showing that
During a butterfl y tour that she and Joanne led at Fontenelle Forest, Holly shows a millipede to the group.
