Since early 2007, the Diana fritillary has been Arkansas’ official state butterfly. The fritillary thrives on Mount Magazine’s moist, mountainous habitat but has been recorded in 27 different Arkansas counties. Recently, Ozarks at Large’s Jack Travis talked with Shawn Hunter, founder of The Diana Project, a grassroots effort to help the butterfly prosper.
Hunter's work includes hosting planting events to introduce more native wildflowers and grasses to the state, helping to support the Diana fritillary population. Jack met Shawn on top of the Fayetteville Public Library, near the site of a recent project planting, to discuss the group and their plans for the coming seasons.
