2006 West Eugene Wetlands Recognition Award Recipient Paul Severns

Photo: Paul (right) accepts his WEWP award at the reception o­n May 5th






Paul Severns has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of butterfly diversity and abundance in the West Eugene Wetlands and Fern Ridge Reservoir areas.  In addition, he has provided substantial amounts of information about butterfly ecology that has helped land managers within the West Eugene Wetlands Partnership to successfully implement management prescriptions that benefit butterfly populations, including the endangered Fender’s blue butterfly.  Paul also re-discovered the great copper butterfly in the West Eugene Wetlands during summer 2004; this was the first sighting of this species anywhere in the Willamette Valley since 1970 (it had been presumed to be extirpated from the Willamette Valley).  Even before he entered graduate school, Paul had published an impressive array of articles that have in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Paul’s work in the wetlands has been completed over the past ten years.  Some of the work was completed as part of his job as a biological technician with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and another portion was completed as part of his graduate studies in botany at Oregon State University.  However, a very large part of his work was completed o­n his personal time and not compensated by any organization. 

In consideration of the substantial contribution that Paul has made to understanding butterflies in the West Eugene Wetlands, and to his personal dedication to publishing this information so that it is widely accessible, we would like to recognize Paul with a Wetlands Appreciation Award.