OBSERVER Photo by Jimmy McCarthy Beth Stevens discusses endangered species and how Walt Disney Company and the Jane Goodall Institute are doing their part during a lecture at Chautauqua Institution’s Smith Wilkes Hall on Monday. Stevens recently retired as senior vice president of corporate citizenship for Disney, where she was responsible for environmental and conservation programs.

CHAUTAUQUA — Every conservation effort can make a difference, even if it’s planting a milkweed or two for monarch butterflies.

That was the message Dr. Beth Stevens, former Disney executive who led conservation programs, presented to listeners at Chautauqua Institution’s Smith Wilkes Hall on Monday.

The Chautauqua Bird Tree and Garden Club hosted Stevens for a talk that touched on endangered species and what Walt Disney Co. and the Jane Goodall Institute are doing to help. The discussion was part of the club’s “Monarch Moments” series.

Stevens recently retired as senior vice president of corporate citizenship for Disney, where she was responsible for environmental and conservation programs. She also served as vice president of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and was a past president for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

While Stevens acknowledged she wasn’t a butterfly expert, she said successful conservation comes with science, a focus on how to go about it, education, inspiration and partnerships.

“My belief that science is so important is one part to conserving wildlife,” she said. “It’s just as important, if not more important, to find ways to educate and empower and inspire everyone to do their part.”

After obtaining her doctorate degree, Stevens knew she wanted to move into wildlife conservation. She went on to obtain a job at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, where she learned about the role of conservation. Stevens said Disney came along and asked her if she’d like to start a conservation science education program at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

“I thought, ‘Wow. The one thing that goes through my professional career is motivating and inspiring people to get excited about nature,'” she said. “I went to Disney with a mission to try to do that.”

Today, Disney is focused on curbing the decline of 10 endangered species. Stevens touched on the efforts underway to help the cotton-top tamarin, sea turtles and atala butterfly. As for the cotton-top tamarin, a highly-endangered group of monkeys in Colombia, Stevens said they’re working with the community and other partners to develop conservation practices and education. She said communities where tamarins reside didn’t have much knowledge about the animal.

“Part of (Disney’s) program is a massive education effort that begins in elementary, middle and high school,” she said. “Every stage there’s huge education about tamarins.”

Through education, Stevens said natives are becoming stewards of their community. Instead of using forest lumber, alternative materials are being used for cooking and building fences for livestock. Stevens said a conservation center was also built to teach people about tamarins.

Florida is a critical nesting area for sea turtles, and Disney is working to monitor nests on a seven-mile stretch of beach. Stevens said research crews go out, find the nests and put stakes around the area to protect them. On the education front, Stevens said they do various things with visitors.

“We have turtle walks in the morning where kids can help us find nests,” she said. “We also take people out carefully to see females nesting.”

Around 190 species of butterflies call Florida home, including the endangered atala. Stevens said they’re native to southern Florida near Vero Beach and rely on a plant called coontie. Atala butterfly numbers went down as coontie plants were overharvested, but Disney is working with the University of Florida to bring back the plant and the colorful butterfly.

“As part of a project at Disney, people are raising atala larva. This is one way to have hands-on education,” she said. “When (the larva is) ready, we send them to Vero Beach where we’ve been planting a lot of coontie.”

Stevens also co-chairs the board of the Jane Goodall Institute. She discussed how the institute’s Roots and Shoots Program is drawing youth throughout the world who have a passion for the environment. Formed in 1991, the program is geared to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place.

In Irvine, Calif., Stevens said a group of students attempted to get rid of pesticide to protect monarch butterflies. In the end, they decided to build sanctuaries at the school for them.

“The first part of the formula is finding who you will do something with,” she said. “Then it’s mapping to understand what’s going on in the community and then it’s deciding what you want to focus on and then create a campaign.”