Butterfly Conservation Europe (BCE) is an umbrella organisation established in 2006 that encompasses a wide range of European institutions and organisations sharing the goal of halting and reversing the decline of Lepidoptera across Europe. This includes 52 foundations, organisations (such as De Vlinderstichting), entomological societies, research centres, museums, and NGOs, among others, which are referred to as BCE partners or associates. The BCE is a partnership of organisations that functions as an NGO, as members of the board and supporting advisors do not receive financial compensation for their contributions.

BCE goals:

  1. Maintain a highly valued network of Partners;
  2. Advocate better European policies for Lepidoptera;
  3. Create an eBMS covering the whole of Europe and an effective database on Lepidoptera distributions;
  4. Take practical action to conserve threatened and widespread species;
  5. Raise awareness of Lepidoptera and their role in creating a healthy ecosystem;
  6. Increase the capacity to raise funds and run projects.

BCE and De Vlinderstichting

De Vlinderstichting is a core actor in the European conservation landscape, as it has closely participated in the creation of Butterfly Conservation Europe (BCE) and the European Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (eBMS), the calculation of the European Grassland Butterfly Indicator (EUGBI), and even contributed to the proposal and implementation of the Nature Restoration Regulation. These are significant steps in the conservation efforts for European butterflies and moths are relevant to the projects.

21 years of BCE (2025)
Meeting at Dutch Butterfly Conservation (2002)
Members who created BCE (2004)

What is BCE doing?

BCE enables organised and cohesive efforts for the conservation of Lepidoptera, which has led to tangible impacts on EU-level policy. BCE created a link between the ecological knowledge of BCE members and actual politics thanks to policy advisors. In this manner, BCE is an active member of the European Habitats Forum (EHF) along with other environmental NGOs and participates in the EU Pollinator Working Group, which communicates directly with the European Commission. Through these efforts, BCE has influenced EU environmental policies (e.g., Nature Restoration Regulation) and secured the adjudication of several EU-funded projects (ABLE, SPRING, EMBRACE, EPIC, etc.), which have facilitated the growth of butterfly monitoring throughout Europe. These have enabled the creation and development of the infrastructure of eBMS for Butterfly Monitoring Schemes (BMSs). 

Learn more about our projects

How can you help?

BCE also depends on volunteers and support from people. If you would like to make a donation, please click on this link. We also need volunteers to help with IT, communication, design and fundraising. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@bc-europe.eu or follow us on Facebook, BlueSky, or YouTube. You can find more information at the BCE website:

Butterfly Conservation Europe