Ensuring that Wildlife Thrives in a Rapidly Changing World

Nature is the one common thing that unites us all in this rapidly changing world. Without a thriving environment, we can’t possibly hope to sustain other areas of human life including the economy, public health, and communities. Clean and cared-for lakes, mountains, streams, parks, forests, and other public lands are vital for outdoor recreation such as camping, boating, hiking, swimming, and fishing. Diverse and abundant wildlife and their natural habitats support urban, suburban, and rural communities.

To that end, each person has a responsibility to be a steward of the natural world we all share. The list of what we’re responsible for is lengthy and overwhelming and convoluted. This article can’t even cover the entire scope of conservation issues.  Regardless, a healthy thriving environment starts with each one of us.

No matter our views or beliefs, we impact wild places every day. Deciding on how we impact wild places is the key question.

Protecting Public Lands

Public lands and waters are a birthright to all Americans; we share approximately 600 million acres of land and water, but many face threats from development and privatization. Our best hope to preserving these natural resources while still ensuring that all Americans can enjoy them to their fullest potential is to prioritize protection, reformation, and conservation.

Oil and Gas Development

Energy development needs to be redefined to meet our current energy needs while also bearing in mind the needs of the wildlife species that are potentially impacted. Drilling for oil and gas in unique habitats such as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has become controversial due to the destruction of the land and its wildlife.

Transitioning to cleaner energy sources could save the U.S. $120 billion in health care costs a year. (Source: https://www.nrdc.org/issues/clean-energy) While renewable energy development in many ways is safer for our public lands and waters and our public health, there are still concerns about sustaining precious wildlife. With proper and considerate development, we can commit to protecting our wide variety of habitats and wildlife while still providing for our energy needs.

Privatization

The public lands system has been under attack since its inception. The idea that money can be made off of land and water has led to the introduction of bills in state legislatures in an effort to instill fear in American citizens that our lands are being mismanaged by the federal government. The truth, however, is these same people who want to privatize the lands also back policies that will harm and exploit our natural resources. The cost for states to take over public lands would mean tax increases, job losses, higher costs in firefighting, and loss of revenue from the federal government (National Wildlife Federation, 2020). The real problem is that most states can’t pay for the land management, so they sell off portions to the highest bidder—the highest bidder who may or may not have the land’s best interests at heart.

>>>Sign petitions and pledges to protect our public lands from being sold off and exploited. Be sure those you elect to office are in support of protecting our public lands to maintain our marvelous conservation heritage. Look into adopt-an-acre or adopt-a-species programs to help funnel much-needed funds into these threatened areas.

Protecting Public Waters

Healthy, clean water is vital to our public health as well as sustaining a variety of wildlife across habitats. Water serves as a drinking resource as well as a protection from natural hazards. However, our aquatic ecosystems are threatened by pollution, land development, and climate change. To protect countless species of wildlife, we must protect our water systems through improved and reformed water management.

The Clean Water Act

The Clean Water Act (https://www.nwf.org/Our-Work/Waters/Clean-Water-Act)  was passed in 1972, thus ensuring good water quality for people and wildlife. However, after two convoluted Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006, safeguards seem to no longer be in place for many wetlands, lakes and streams. To restore longstanding protections for our public waters, we need to redefine “America’s waters” so that all sources of water, be it ocean, lake, river, estuary, tide pool, wetland, tributary, bay, or stream, are included under the protections of the Clean Water Act.

>>>The best way we can ensure clean water for ourselves and future generations and our valuable wildlife is to support the Clean Water Rule, which clarifies the scope of the Clean Water Act and protects the drinking water of one in three Americans. We have a voice, but no one can hear us if we don’t speak up. Contact the federal government, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and your local elected officials and let them know that you support the Clean Water Rule.

Pollution

Water is a universal solvent, which is why it’s easily polluted. Toxic substances from farms, towns, and factories easily dissolve in water, thereby degrading this precious resource.  There are many categories of water pollution from ground water to ocean, which means that water pollution affects everyone on the planet.

We all hear about the oil company whose tanker is leaking oil into the ocean, but in this day and age convenience for the average person is the number-one cause of water pollution. In today’s throw-away and quick-fix society, we create more contamination in the environment than ever before, but at least there are solutions we all can implement to prevent pollution:

·         Reduce your plastic use, and reuse/recycle plastic whenever possible.

·         Properly dispose of chemical cleaners, oils, and non-biodegradable items instead of pouring them down your drain.

·         Maintain your car so it doesn’t leak oil, antifreeze, or coolant.

·         Avoid using pesticides in your yard.

·         Clean up after your dog.

·         Don’t litter.

Bringing it Home

How we manage our personal yards and gardens can have a ripple effect, all because many species are long-distance travelers. Learning how to live with the wildlife in your area is all part of being a steward of the natural world. This doesn’t mean you have to build a backyard pond or spend a lot of money on trees. Simple practices intended to sustain wildlife, such as eliminating the use of pesticides or putting up some bird houses, can make a huge difference.

Pollinators are a prime example of the importance of providing a healthy habitat, as they are vital to the production of healthy crops. They are also essential components to habitats that wild animals need for food and shelter. Pretty much all seed plants need to be pollinated, so without bees, bats, butterflies, moths and other insects, we will lose our trees, flowers, and crops.

Monarch butterfly populations have decreased up to 90% over the last two decades mainly due to habitat loss and pesticide poisoning. Source: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/invertebrates/monarch_butterfly/  

One way to help increase the population of monarchs is to plant milkweed (what many people consider a true weed is actually a crucial plant for the species’ survival).

If you’re interested in providing some nourishment and shelter to wildlife in your yard, try these ideas:

·         Hang a bat house

·         Choose native plants as they’re better adapted to your soil type, climate, and local wildlife.

·         Provide water—a shallow dish with half-submerged stones is perfectly acceptable.

·         Keep your yard clean of debris, litter, and clean up after your pets.

·         Provide a simple sugar solution for butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds.

·         Feed the birds in the winter.

·         Compost food waste and add it to your soil to replenish the nutrients.

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” ~Jane Goodall

Each American has the resources and personal power to act locally to stand up for wildlife and landscapes. If each person chose even just one aspect of their local environment to protect, imagine how much we would save. Not only would the localized habitat and its species thrive, but the chain reaction across the nation and the world would be incredible. Doesn’t matter if you protect a wolf, a hawk, a river, a flower, or a mollusk. If we all chose one wild thing that mattered to us and fought for it, this world would be a healthier, happier place.

To learn more about the above conservation issues, check out the following resources:

Center for Biological Diversity (biologicaldiversity.org)

Defenders of Wildlife (defenders.org)

Earthjustice (earthjustice.org)

National Resources Defense Council (nrdc.org)

National Wildlife Federation (nwf.org)