Small Creatures, Massive Impact: Highlights from the 2025 Butterfly Pavilion Impact Report

Invertebrates may be small, but their contribution to life on Earth is monumental. Often overlooked and misunderstood, these tiny powerhouses pollinate our crops, enrich our soils, and hold ecosystems together worldwide.

As detailed in our 2025 Butterfly Pavilion Impact Report, conservation begins with connection. Under the leadership of President & CEO Ryan Welch, the past year has been one of growth, community engagement, and groundbreaking research. With over 435,000 visitors, stable financial health, and projects stretching across the globe, Butterfly Pavilion continues to lead the charge for invertebrate conservation.

Here are the key takeaways from this year’s report and how Butterfly Pavilion is making a lasting difference from local backyards in Colorado to habitats across the globe.

1. Local Roots: Restoring Colorado’s Habitats

Conservation starts close to home. Butterfly Pavilion’s local initiatives focus on community-driven projects designed to protect native species and restore urban ecosystems:

• Urban Prairies Project (UPP): Over 2,500 acres of native habitat have been restored since the program’s launch, including 550+ acres in 2025 alone. By turning degraded public lands into thriving pollinator hubs, UPP helps improve biodiversity for our local invertebrates.
• Firefly Lifecycle Project: In a major milestone, Butterfly Pavilion became one of the first organizations to successfully breed and rear a native Colorado firefly species to adulthood under human care.
• Healthy Habitat Gardening Program: Bringing nature into everyday spaces, this program installs accessible, native garden spaces in senior living and rehabilitation facilities—providing both therapeutic value to residents and vital resources for local pollinators.
• Community Science & Research: Powered by hundreds of volunteers participating in programs like the Colorado Butterfly Monitoring Network, Butterfly Pavilion staff published papers in four peer-reviewed scientific journals in 2025.

2. Global Reach: Protecting Species Around the World

Invertebrates don’t recognize borders, and neither does conservation.

• Mexico: Restored 435 acres in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and planted 100,000 oyamel fir trees to protect monarch overwintering habitats.
• Tanzania & Botswana: Completed a 3.75-mile “bee fence”, using honeybees as a natural deterrent to reduce human-elephant conflict by up to 90%.
• Ecuador: Rescued 15 stingless bee colonies (totaling ~150,000 native bees), supporting the pollination of up to 150 million fruits each year.
• Mongolia & Turks & Caicos: Supported the recovery of five endangered Parnassius butterfly species in Mongolia and documented pollinator populations across 19 acres of sanctuaries in Turks & Caicos.

3. Inspiring Minds: STEAM Education & Inclusive Access

Connecting people to science requires making education engaging, accessible, and inclusive for all ages and backgrounds:

• 103,000 children reached annually through on-site, school, and community programs.
• 63,000 hours of STEAM education delivered each year across 702 community schools and partners.
• Neurodiverse Access Programs: Partnering with North Metro, Butterfly Pavilion hosted dedicated sensory-friendly facility buyouts, offering families of neurodivergent children a supportive, low-barrier environment to explore science at their own pace.

4. Financial Health & Strong Foundation

Thanks to strong support from visitors, individual donors, corporate sponsors, and grants, including vital tax funding through the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) 2025 marked a milestone year for operational stability:

• Total Revenue: $7.81 M
• Total Expenses: $7.22 M
• Operating Surplus: $585,000
• Reserves Milestone: Reached 6 months of operating reserves for the first time, ensuring long-term resilience.
• 72% of funds went directly toward the invertebrate zoo, guest experience, education, and research efforts.

Looking Ahead: 2026 & Beyond

With a solid foundation established, Butterfly Pavilion is preparing for a bold next chapter. Plans are underway to reimagining the campus into a modern, immersive learning hub over the coming decades, complete with expanded trails, outdoor classrooms, interactive natural habitats, and enhanced community facilities.

Get Involved

Curious about how you can support native pollinators or participate in community science? Visit Butterflies.org to learn about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and memberships.