Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species

At Pennsylvania’s Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center, thousands of soldiers train annually in live-fire exercises, yet the base also serves as the last natural home of the eastern regal fritillary butterfly. Rather than relocating military activities, conservationists and military land managers have embraced the disturbances caused by training exercises as essential to the butterfly’s survival. Using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, biologists track butterfly populations, analyze habitat conditions, and implement land management strategies such as prescribed burns, mowing, and planting violets—the butterfly’s primary host plant. The controlled environmental disruptions help maintain the open grasslands required for the species to thrive, preventing reforestation that would otherwise eliminate its habitat.

As reported by Chris Oxendine and Sunny Fleming, the National Guard has been actively managing the butterfly’s habitat since 1992, using GIS-powered tools to map vegetation, track species populations, and plan conservation efforts. The partnership between Fort Indiantown Gap, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and state conservation agencies has been crucial in monitoring and expanding habitat availability. The violet plant, critical for caterpillar survival, flourishes in areas with frequent disturbances from both training activities and prescribed burns. Conservationists have also developed new butterfly reintroduction sites in Pennsylvania, using GIS apps like ArcGIS Survey123 to engage students and volunteers in tracking population changes and nectar sources.

Despite these efforts, the eastern regal fritillary butterfly remains at risk, with the FWS recently proposing to add it to the endangered species list. Conservationists continue refining their strategies, leveraging GIS to adapt and enhance conservation initiatives in real time. Data-sharing across organizations enables scientists to monitor conditions at multiple sites without delays, improving decision-making and habitat management. The ongoing efforts at Fort Indiantown Gap demonstrate how military training and ecological preservation can coexist, using technology and strategic land management to protect a fragile species in an unlikely setting.