Last week, I received a text from my husband.

It wasn't the usual "can you take care of this today" or "I need to do this this week" but rather a single photo of an award Marathon Petroleum in Robinson, Ill., had recently received - Monarch Sustainer of the Year.

So what do butterflies and an oil company possibly have in common?

It wasn't until our two girls reached second-grade I finally got a grasp on how truly involved Marathon is in local conservation.

Every spring and fall, Crawford County, Ill., grade school students are invited to Neil Pit, the private wildlife habitat maintained by Marathon Petroleum, to participate in stations that range from bees, nature hikes, crafts, trees, and more. Each stationed is manned by Marathon employees taking the lead in nature conservation.

But the annual field trips are truly only one part of the company's conservation efforts.

Last month, I was invited to photograph a North American Butterfly Association Butterfly Count at Neil Pit.

Joined by a group of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency interns, the day began with instructions, distribution of milkweed seeds, and the distribution of butterfly guides for identification purposes. We then broke into groups and set off to identify the different types of butterflies observed at Neil Pit.

I can honestly say I've never really paid attention to butterflies, their flight patterns, unique designs, and behaviors.

If you can get close enough to them, they are truly fascinating, as I found out tagging along with Ed Spevak, director of the Center for Native Pollinator Conservation at the St. Louis Zoo during the excursion.

Tromping through high weeds, he identified Gray Coppers, Eastern-Tailed Blues and Silvery Checkerspots before I could even spot them on their hidden perches.

He laughed as he explained he can remember butterfly species easier than people's names.

It's truly his passion.

And that of many others who are currently fighting to save monarchs from extinction.

Vicki Wojcik, research director of The Pollinator Partnership, a non-profit organization based in San Francisco dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems, was also on hand at the butterfly count to discuss the importance of maintaining sustainable habitats.

Local wildlife conservation and enhancement efforts were addressed by biologist Bonnie Doggett of Blanton & Associates, an environmental consulting firm that works with Marathon.

​The company's efforts have not gone unnoticed.

The Monarch Sustainer of the Year award now residing at the Robinson office recognizes a U.S. business that has shown "exceptional leadership and action in providing habitat and awareness for monarchs along their migratory corridors." It is a new initiative by the U.S. Business Council on Sustainable Development and the Pollinator Partnership.

According to the Pollinator Partnership website, to be eligible for the award, a business must: provide clean and safe habitats for monarchs (providing milkweed and nectar plants year-round in a pesticide-free environment) and take a leadership role in developing programs that go beyond habitat installations (providing opportunities for community members and employees to engage in monarch conservation activities).

Those attending the Butterfly Count observed numerous monarchs. Hopefully, with awareness and education, the monarchs will flourish once again in North America.

Wildlife Habitat Council and Pollinator Partnership Presentation by Bonnie Doggett and Vicki Wojcik