HABITAT RESTORATION AND A SUCCESSFUL REINTRODUCTION OF THE ENDANGEREDBATON BLUE BUTTERFLY (PSEUDOPHILOTES BATON SCHIFFERMUELLERI) IN SE FINLAND

We reintroduced the endangered Baton Blue butterfly (Pseudophilotes ba ton schiffermuelleri, Bergstrasser) from its last known Finnish popula tion to a site where it had become extinct. The butterfly is associate d with dry and open eskers, but because of drastic habitat degradation only one population is known to have survived in Finland. The main re ason for habitat loss is succession of pine forests. The last verified records of the species at the site of reintroduction date from 1984. The habitat was managed by the selective logging of pines in 1992. In 1994, after vegetation followups, 10 female baron blues were transloca ted. The introduced population was studied with the mark-recapture met hod in 1995-1996. Its size increased during this period to ca. 50 butt erflies in 1996. Reintroduction, accomplished in close cooperation wit h forest industry, administration authorities and environmentalists, h as diminished the probability of extinction of the baton blue in Finla nd.