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Conservation & Advocacy. Cruce, J. 2006. Audubon
Society of Portland.
www.audubonportland.org
While you are getting more
familiar with the concept of biodiversity, you might want to get
involved with Audubon to make a difference for local wildlife. The
Audubon Society of Portland offers classes for all ages, lectures,
book groups, campaigns, and advocacy group opportunities on what you
can do as a participant to conserve wildlife biodiversity. No
matter what your timeframe or interest, you can find something to
fit your needs. The Audubon Society’s nature walks are scheduled on
this site, as well as facts on living with and caring for urban
wildlife. If you care about conserving native wildlife and are
looking for hands-on involvement, the Audubon Society is a great
place to start.
Urbanization,
Biodiversity, and Conservation. McKinney, M. October 2002.
BioScience. 52(10):883-890. (Journal article)
McKinney submits that
urbanization is an increasing cause of biodiversity loss. To combat
biodiversity loss in cities, McKinney recommends re-vegetation of
urban areas, especially in newer developments where recent land
clearings attract invasive species. These invasive plants drive out
species dependent on native vegetation. Most visibly impacted are
birds but development affects the entire food web. The article
sanctions the fact that a small plot of land in the urban or
suburban setting can make a difference in the social fabric as well
as the conservation of native species in all ecosystems.
How You Can Help:
At Home, Out Shopping and in the Garden. March 2006. World
Wildlife Foundation (WWF)
www.panda.org/how_you_can_help/at_home/index.cfm
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
is renowned for its international efforts to save species from
extinction. If you are a fan of all critters and wildlife, devoted
to saving biodiversity, you should visit this website. It’s a good
global organization.
We recognize that having a
“dream” house and living in an environmentally friendly place are
not necessarily compatible. However, ways to go green are getting
easier; one just has to commit to doing it. On this website, there
is a nifty ecological test you can take to determine your impact on
biodiversity. Questions range from what you recycle to how you save
energy. Include your consumption habits and your interaction with
wildlife to realize the magnitude of your impact on the local
environment. One presumes that you are as green as your score.
In sum, this site teaches you
about footprints on the environment and links to more information
such as advocacy tips, conservation community success stories,
Energy Star products and biodiversity. | |
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