how you can help conserve nature

[linwoodblog]

Now that spring is here, I’m switching gears this week from talking about internet and technology stuff to talking about my other interest: nature!

I have a bachelor’s of science in ecology, evolution, and natural resources and have spent a lot of time doing seasonal conservation work. In that time I have worked with volunteers who also share an interest in protecting nature and making parks more enjoyable. I have learned that there are many things anyone can do to help out even if they don’t have any conservation knowledge, so now I’m going to share that information with you!

Litter pick-up is an easy place to start, you don’t even have to specifically contact people looking for volunteers (although it would probably be more helpful if you did). Just pick up a bag and some gloves, maybe one of those grabber tools, and head to your nearest park! The more popular the park, the more trash is likely to build up so if you decide to go somewhere like a state park, you should contact the park superintendent. That way they can get a group of volunteers together led by a park employee who will supply you with bags, gloves, trail maps, and whatever else you might need. If you live near a beach, you can try searching for beach sweep events. The area I live in does beach sweeps statewide twice a year and the turnout is always amazing!

National Trails Day takes place on june 1st, and is a day focused on trail advocacy and service. This is another thing you can contact a park superintendent about, they might need volunteers to help maintain trails by cutting back long branches, vines, and grass! Some smaller parks might have specific projects in mind for this day like new trail building, invasive species removal, or native plant restoration. You can also try looking up conservation corps in your area; I worked for my area’s conservation corps for a few years and loved it! They do volunteer events pretty often that focus on everything I’ve already talked about.

Community gardens are something you can look into if you live in a more urban area and don’t live near too many natural areas. Or you can look into it if you just have an interest in gardening! I admittedly don’t have any experience in this area, but it is something I am interested in. Community gardens are public gardens that a group of volunteers set up and maintain for everyone to use. It’s a great way of providing fruits and veggies for people who have trouble affording them. Try looking up community gardens in your area, and if there aren’t any nearby you can try starting one! There are guides online for how to do that, but basically you find other people who are interested in starting one, find a plot of land where you’re allowed to start a garden, gather all the necessary resources, and start growing! I personally think libraries should have public gardens since they’re already providing so many other free public services.

Volunteering is great. You help make the world a better place and also connect more with your community. It’s a great way to feel less isolated when social media becomes too much. It turns out logging off and touching grass is good for you!

So I encourage everyone to look for volunteer events in your area. Search for conservation corps, park volunteer events, beach sweeps, river cleanups, local community gardens, or anything else you think might help!

And I’ll be back in two weeks, because I’m taking a break for Easter. See you in a while crocodile!