Protect the Seaside Hoary Elfin at Ch'vt-le'sr-chvn-dvn

Help support Nvn-nes-'a Land Trust as we seek to complete our first land acquisition and protect a rare endemic butterfly!

We are fundraising to purchase 13.5 acres of critical butterfly habitat near Ch'vt-le'sr-chvn-dvn (Pistol River, OR) in our coastal homelands. The rare Seaside Hoary Elfin butterfly is only known to occur at three locations in the world and is facing habitat loss as coastal grasslands are encroached on by trees and invasive plants. The Seaside Hoary Elfin relies on Kinnikinnick which needs open space to thrive and suffers under the shade of tree canopies. Encroaching shore pine and non-native grasses are both threatening the little remaining habitat this important species relies on. While restoration efforts for Elfin habitat are taking place on nearby public lands, the species has only been found on a few private parcels which are under the threat of development, making this place crucial for the long term survival of the species on the South Coast.

Under Indigenous management, our people cared for this place for millennia. We maintained the area as a food and medicine garden which is evidenced today by the abundance of Kinnikinnick and other culturally important species present on the land. It is no coincidence that a wild garden maintained by our people is a refuge for this rare butterfly.

If we are successful in acquiring this property, we plan to reintroduce our traditional land management techniques alongside Western restoration science to protect and restore the vital butterfly habitat and biodiversity of this unique and beautiful place. Please consider supporting us in our efforts to reestablish our relationship with this place and care for the plants and animals that live there.

Thank you for your support!

for more information, please contact jerome@nvnnesa.org