Butterfly Valley Botanical Area

Butterfly Valley Botanical Area in Plumas County, California, United States was designated a protected botanical area in 1976 due to its abundance and diversity of plant life. Managed by the Plumas National Forest, the Butterfly Valley Botanical Area is the home of the California Pitcher Plant (Darlingtonia californica) - a rare and unusual insect eating plant that only grows in scattered boggy areas from southern Oregon down through northern California where the Sierra and Cascades meet.

History

The Butterfly Valley Botanical Area is comprised of Butterfly Valley and the surrounding area. In the early 1850s, mining operations and the old mining town of Butterfly Valley occupied the area. When the mines panned out, the town of Butterfly Valley was abandoned and grazing and logging operations took over. The Galeppi brothers increased grazing in the area by bringing in their cattle into the area in the early 1900's. At about this same time, the Murphy Lumber Company began railroad logging, which was expanded by Quincy Lumber Company, the purchaser of the Murphy Lumber Company.

Although logging operations stopped in 1950, grazing continued until the Butterfly Valley Botanical Area was designated a botanical area in 1976.

References

* [http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/plumas/recreation/butterfly.shtml Plumas National Forest - Recreational Activities]