Key West Florida Weekly

THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN

George Fernandez of the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory



 

 

Time seems to move at a different pace in Key West and no place on the island is more indicative of this than the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory.

At the conservatory entrance is a vibrant sign that could’ve come straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. You’ll see it above your head as you walk through the first doorway, through the gift shop: “Excite Your Senses, Expand Your Mind.”

Therein lies the mission of the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, founded by longtime business partners George Fernandez and Sam Trophia in 2003.

“To me, it’s unique… magical is Disney, but this… It is an audio-visual sensory experience,” George says of his creation. “I want you to have a warm, fuzzy feeling from the minute you walk in.”

Sam is the “dreamer” of the two, according to George; an artist who devoted much of his adolescent and adult life studying the butterfly and expresses this passion through his art.

“Sam had done this as a youngster. He would fix their wings,” George said. The artist apparently sketched his dream of a butterfly oasis on a napkin many years ago, and the duo put together a plan and brought it to fruition in 2003. Fifteen years later, George continues to be in awe of their creation; his wonder and excitement shines through as he discusses where the conservatory is today, and the vitality of the fragile butterfly.

George Fernandez

George Fernandez

“It’s 100 million years of evolutionary adaptation. They’re constantly moving; by the time you get your phone out, they’re gone,” he says of the butterflies.

Mr. Fernandez describes himself as more of the financial caretaker of the conservatory, and the one who worries about the advertising and marketing side, given his career in the public relations field.

He describes Sam as the “Wizard of Oz” when it came to dreaming up the conservatory. It could be argued that George sells himself short; his wealth of knowledge concerning the conservatory’s many butterfly and bird species simply can’t be understated.

 

 

When you enter the conservatory, through the first door is a long, rectangular room almost entirely devoted to education; there are videos playing in the corners of the room, and exhibits with butterfly models and informational displays streak along the walls and in the middle of the room in glass cases.

“Their wings are made of a polysaccharide element,” George said. While many species of the butterflies are presented in this educational room, the gift shop sports many creations of Sam’s design, utilizing the beautiful animals after they have passed on to produce unparalleled art. Most of which are encased in completely sealed transparent containers, so visitors can take home an everlasting piece of the Butterfly Conservatory.

After spending some time in the education room, you’ll turn right through another door and into the actual conservatory. It’s is a vibrant, rainforest mimicking, breathtaking display of flora and fauna, fluttering butterflies and serene birds. The rainforest comparison is literal; the room is scheduled to have rainfall every thirty minutes.

 

 

Despite the calming force the conservatory exudes, there’s also a frenetic feel to it; many of the creatures in this building will have passed away within two weeks, hence the hundreds of works of butterfly art in the gift shop. Seven to ten days is the lifespan of the typical butterfly, according to George. Some last as long as two weeks. That leads to a constant churning of wildlife around the various birds (and two flamingos) that reside there. Dozens of species of butterflies are constantly bred at the conservatory, leading it to be fully stocked with the eye-catching creatures year-round.

“We have thirty employees that all bring their personality to the conservatory,” George said of his team.

Perhaps the most eccentric creature in the conservatory on any given day is George, if he’s giving a tour or interacting with guests. In 30 to 60 breathless seconds, he can recite on command the lifespan and background of perhaps every species in the conservatory.

As he walked through the conservatory on the day of my visit, his colorful shirt became a landing pad for no less than a half-dozen butterflies, which he accepted without as much as a backward glance, as he described in great detail anything that came into his view.

George has been an animal lover for as long as he can remember. His office is adorned with treasured images of several important aspects of his life; posters of some of his favorite movies, framed mementos reminding him of time spent on his native Cuba, and family portraits, if you will, of he and his three Irish setters, who have since passed away.

“It’s so difficult to lose part of your family,” George said of his loved ones.

That love of animals has shone through as well through his charitable giving; at the time of my visit, he was discussing his support for the Florida Keys Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

“I have always lived my life with love, compassion and kindness I firmly believe in giving back to our community…it creates goodwill,” George said of his ethos. “This is an incredibly giving community.”

He reminisced on the success of the conservatory and how fulfilling it is to educate people about the fleeting, enduring butterflies.

“Everywhere I go, I like to think of myself as a goodwill ambassador to our community,” George said.

And how this unique attraction provides a flag-bearing opportunity for him to spread the good word about Key West, and that there’s something more than its wellknown reputation of partying and nightlife on Duval Street; there’s a community, with people who care about it deeply. ¦

IF YOU GO

Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory 1316 Duval Street Conservatory open 9 a. m. to 5 p. m. daily Gift shop and gallery open 9 a. m. to 5: 30 p. m. daily For more information, call 305- 296- 2988 https:// www.keywestbutterfly.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *