Bicycling with Butterflies

In 2017, Sara Dykman became the first person to follow – by bicycle – the eastern population of monarch butterflies on their roundtrip, multinational, multigenerational migration. From Mexico to Canada and back, her 10,201 mile adventure, on a beat-up bicycle, was a call to action. “The monarchs need us,” Dykman explained, “they can’t call politicians to demand healthy prairies or rally for native gardens. But we can. We might not be able to fly like butterflies, but we can bike alongside them, and be their voice.

In this special Nature Hour, Sara will regale us with the story of her monumental journey, the complex science behind the monarch’s dwindling numbers, and the hope and inspiration of what we all can do to make a difference in the fight to help these spectacular and vital creatures.

About the Presenter

Sara Dykman is the founder of beyondabook.org, which fosters lifelong learners, boundary pushers, explorers, and stewards. She works in amphibian research and as an outdoor educator, guiding young people into nature so they can delight in its complicated brilliance. She hopes her own adventures – walking from Mexico to Canada, canoeing the Missouri River from source to sea, and cycling over 80,000 miles across North and South America (including the monarch migration trip) – will empower young and old to dream big.

About Nature Hour

Nature Hour is a virtual lecture series by Lancaster Conservancy, taking place on Wednesdays throughout fall, winter, and spring. To find out about other events in the series please follow this link: www.lancasterconservancy.org/events/

The Conservancy is excited to expand our educational outreach online to feature presentations and lectures from some of our favorite local and regional experts.

How to Participate

Registration is required. Attendees will receive an e-mail with a link to access the presentation via Zoom the day of the event. Conservancy staff will be on hand starting at 5:50pm prior to each lecture to answer your questions and help you familiarize yourself with how Zoom works.