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Take Action!
Joyce Maschinski, Conservation Ecologist from Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, takes a closer look at plants during the Applied Plant Conference. |
Here are some ideas for ways that your students can take action to protect native plants and animals in your area:
- Plant a garden of native plants and study the insects and other wildlife that it attracts. Consult your local botanical garden, nursery, or conservation department for ideas. Organize a campaign to “adopt” a plant in CPC’s National Collection of Endangered Plants. Choose a species that is native to your region and take action to alleviate the conditions that threaten it while also promoting public awareness and raising funds to support its protection. Contact the CPC National Office for assistance.
- Get involved with a local issue affecting native biodiversity. Contact local environmental groups and learn about the issue, write to elected officials and decision makers, and be creative in becoming part of the solution.
- Get your hands dirty with an ecological restoration project through your local garden, nature center, or Nature Conservancy office. If no such program exists, you can begin your own restoring native plants to your school site.
For more ideas and success stories, see Taking Action: An Educator's Guide to Involving Students in Environmental Action Projects (Western Regional Environmental Education Council, 1995). Write to Project WILD, 5430 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814 or call 301-493-5447.
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