Bike for Butterflies Virtual Lecture - Sara Dykman

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.”

Dykman’s inspirational bike ride alongside the monarchs was recounted in her book Bicycling with Butterflies, which is filled with optimism, energy, and hope. It is a compelling story, confirming the urgency of saving the threatened monarch migration – and the other threatened systems of nature that affect the survival of us all. Dykman describes, “It is part science, part adventure, part love letter to nature. I hope readers will come away with a deeper sense of connection to the land and be inspired to join the team in taking care of our planet.

Sara Dykman’s virtual lecture uses her bike touring adventure and the remarkable monarch migration as a lens to explore science, conservation, and the power of combined action.