CamelBak teamed up with the non-profit North American Butterfly Association (NABA) to increase awareness of its Ditch Disposable campaign, an effort focused on reducing the amount of plastic in landfills by fostering use of reusable bottles and hydration packs.

CamelBak has donated hydration packs in support of NABA’s fieldwork to monitor trends in butterfly abundance. The packs will be supplied to butterfly counters as they traverse challenging terrain in warm weather conditions to document butterfly occurrences and population sizes. This will keep each user properly hydrated and help them leave no trace in the wilderness.

“NABA is committed to keeping the sites used by butterfliers and outdoor enthusiasts free of litter,” explained Marcus Gray, executive director of North American Butterfly Association.  “The water systems provided by CamelBak will keep our members safe in the field and help more people access the great outdoors in a responsible manner.”

Butterfly numbers in certain species decreasing in recent years. The most familiar is the Monarch, which has declined approximately 90 percent over the past two decades. Each year, NABA staff and volunteers administer 500 butterfly counts across North America that involve thousands of observers. The information compiled is used by researchers and managers for butterfly conservation through habitat and policy programs.

The North American Butterfly Association will show appreciation to donors by providing CamelBak hydration packs to a limited number of supporters on a first-come first-served basis. The systems will get their first use in the upcoming Memorial Day Counts.

Photo courtesy NABA