RALEIGH -- North Carolina students are learning about the value of land trusts through butterflies. For the past five years Macon County students have been tracking the species through the Tessentee Bottomland Preserve.

Sixth-grader Carter Payne participated in the program this year and says she was surprised to learn what butterflies go through to survive.

"It changes how I think about them because they have to go through so much more work than I actually thought was being put into what they have to do every year."

Over the last five years, students have caught and released almost 700 butterflies, representing 33 species. They've also tagged 23 Monarchs as they travel from Canada to Mexico.