Anthony Battah is on a mission to promote biodiversity, specifically the habitat of the endangered Monarch butterfly.
Starting August 1, the Montreal lawyer will run 4,300 km from Northern Ontario to Central Mexico, the same path the Monarch butterfly takes in its annual migration.
Long concerned about biodiversity, Battah felt he had to do something.
When officials at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport mowed over a field full of milkweed, a plant essential to the Monarch Butterfly's survival, he found his cause.
Airport officials said the land wasn't environmentally sensitive, but the move angered environmentalists.
"For no apparent reason, the Montreal Airport administration just decided to shave everything at the worst moment possible. The milkweed was mature, and the Monarchs had laid their eggs and were about to hatch," he recalled. "It preoccupied me. For an inexplicable reason, it was an ah-ha moment."
Battah is an experienced runner.
"Monarchs are the ultimate ultra-marathoners," he enthused. "It just clicked -- I'll be leaving Montreal."
The trek is challenging. Not only is it 4,300 km, but it crosses two international borders. Undaunted, Battah has the route planned and expects to arrive in Central Mexico sometime in November.
The route will take him through Wallaceburg sometime in mid-August. As he swings through, he hopes to see supporters.
"I would really, really, really appreciate it. Everybody is invited. The pace will be relatively slow. I won't be racing," he said. "I am most open to stopping at certain points and shaking hands. It's also an amazing opportunity to connect with people."
His wife and young daughter will accompany him along the way.
His daughter's school was so supportive it set up a committee to find ways to incorporate Battah's cause into the curriculum, and other schools are considering it too. He said his supporters are in discussions with schools in Quebec and across the U.S. to do the same.
Along the way, Battah hopes to raise $4.5-million for conservation efforts. In Canada, the money will go to the Montreal Insectarium, although he's open to partnerships with other groups that promote biodiversity. In the U.S., the funds will benefit the Joint Monarch Venture. A benefactor in Mexico hasn't been determined.