By Staff Writer
The British Monarch is indirectly helping bring back the Samoan swallowtail butterfly, with a tree planting invitation to honour, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 70 years of service.
The invitation comes under the title of the ‘Queens Green Canopy Planting and Samoa responded with the planting of the talafalu tree.
The plant species was specifically selected as the host/food plant for the Samoan swallowtail butterfly, found in an environment survey to have disappeared without anyone noticing in both Savaii and Upolu.
The swallowtail butterfly is described as one of the largest and most beautiful butterflies in the Samoan archipelago.
The butterfly can still be found in nearby American Samoa and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is keen to attract it back from where it has found refuge.
The planting of the talafalu tree jointly highlighted the call behind the ‘Queens Green Canopy Planting and the World Environment Day on Monday 6 June 2022 at the Vailima Botanical Garden.
British High Commissioner HE David Ward, and ACEO Seumalo Afele Faiilagi, of the MNRE Division of Environment Conservation, planted a talafalu tree for Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and Environment Day.
The talafalu tree was brought all the way from Falealupo at the far end of Savaii.
Common cultural depiction often used swallowtail butterflies to represent the grace and free nature of the ineffable human soul.
Other concepts associated with swallowtail butterflies are hope, endurance, change, and life.
HE David Ward announced UK’s funding contribution of £10,000.00 (SAT $33.2K) towards the Vailima Botanical Garden Zoning Project, as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy celebrations
The funding will go towards the installation of accessibility resources for persons with disabilities including the extension of the wheelchair accessible pathway.
The Art Whistler Memorial Garden at the Vailima Botanical Garden (VBG) is the only wheelchair-accessible natural tourist attraction in Samoa.