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Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970 when Sen. Gaylord Nelson, from Wisconsin, had long been concerned about the deteriorating environment in the United States. After witnessing a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California, Nelson wanted to infuse the energy of students with an emerging public consciousness about air and water pollution. He announced the idea for a teach-in on college campuses to the national media, and persuaded Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican Congressman, to serve as his co-chair. They recruited Denis Hayes, a young activist, to organize the campus teach-ins and they choose April 22, a weekday falling between Spring Break and Final Exams, to maximize the greatest student participation.
Earth Day went global in 1990 by mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.
Fast forward to 2024 – Earth Day is widely recognized as the largest secular observance in the world, marked by more than a billion people every year as a day of action to change human behavior and create global, national and local policy changes.
What better place to celebrate than at Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center during their annual EcoFest and Butterfly Release event, which is free to attend, on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Located at 2111 West Park Ave. on 252 acres in Orange, Shangri La is a combination of botanical gardens and an eco-friendly nature center that features more than 300 plant species, outpost tours along Adams Bayou, seasonal nesting birds seen from our state-of-the-art bird blind and heronry, and up-close encounters with nature.
“The butterfly release makes this event really special,” said Katie Krantz, associate director of Shangri La. “We release 1,750 Painted Lady butterflies into the garden space at three different times of the day – 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.”
The orange and black Painted Lady butterfly is native to Southeast Texas and feeds on nectar from the flowers of thistles, red clover, asters, and many other plants. They are also called the “thistle butterfly” because thistle plants are its favorite nectar plant for food as well as the “cosmopolitan butterfly” because of its global distribution.
“Butterflies are very important and are major pollinators,” said Krantz. “All types of food that we consume rely on pollinators. They pollinate, or carry pollen, helping fruits, vegetables and flowers produce seeds.”
Krantz also explained that watching the kids release the butterflies is her favorite part of the day. “It really is an ‘ah-ha’ moment,” she said. “Everyone gets excited, and the experience is so memorable.”
More than two-dozen local and regional organizations such as the Texas Master Naturalist Program and Girl Scouts, as well as businesses will be on-site to provide information about earth-friendly products like plants, soaps, services, and opportunities. Games, activities, and engaging presentations provide entertainment for the whole family. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.
“Spring has sprung so this is a perfect time to come to Shangri La,” said Krantz. “We are actually planting gardens in the shapes of historic quilts. The Stark Museum of Art is our sister organization, so we wanted to do something to support their exhibit – ‘Black Pioneers: Legacy in the American West.’ Patrons can see the exhibit at the Stark Museum then come to Shangri La and see how we incorporate those quilt patterns through the garden beds.”
Those who attend the free event are also encouraged to donate to Shangri La’s Pet Food and Supply Drive, which benefits three local shelters in Orange County – Orange, West Orange and Pinehurst.
For more information, visit shangrilagardens.org or call (409) 670- 9113. Animals will not be permitted into the gardens during this event.
“This event is something for everyone,” said Krantz. “There’s no caveat. It’s 100% free to attend and the only thing you need money for is if you want to support the vendors or purchase food.”