Conservation and Prevention

“The WWF”

This is a picture of the World Wildlife Fund's logo from Google Images and it has become a trademark of the organization and its efforts.

            As far as animal conservation and prevention goes, the WWF is one of the leading organizations in the world. They work in over 100 countries and have millions of supporters around the globe. The WWF’s vision is “to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature” and their mission is “to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.” They also have a goal of “conserving 15 of the world’s most ecologically important regions by 2020 by working in partnership with others”. But other than all of that stuff, what exactly do they do? Have their efforts actually been successful? And how can we help? These are some of the questions that I want to find out by researching the WWF, or the World Wildlife Fund.

            In 1961 a manifesto called the Morges Manifesto was signed by 16 of the world’s leading conservationists. The manifesto basically said that we had the knowledge to protect the environment but we didn’t have the funds to do it. So the WWF was formed as “an international fundraising organization to work in collaboration with existing conservation groups and bring substantial financial support to the conservation movement on a worldwide scale (http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/History/historyt.html).” In more simple terms, the WWF was formed to raise money so it could help other conservation groups that were struggling. They work in all areas around the world, from the Arctic to the Amazon. They aim to take action at every level including wildlife, habitats, local communities, governments, and global forces. In my opinion, that’s why they succeed. Plus, one of their main goals is protecting species like me!

            Right on the WWF website it says that “saving wildlife is at the core of WWF’s mission because animal populations are disappearing at an alarming rate”. Some of the species that they are working to protect are the African Elephant, the Amur Leopard, Chimpanzees, the Giant Panda, Polar Bears, Marine Turtles, Tigers, River Dolphins, and everything in between. Now that I have a good understanding of how the WWF formed and what they do, I wanted to see what kinds of things the organization has accomplished. I found an article on the WWF website talking about the first ever snow leopard prey survey that took place in Bhutan’s newest national park… YAY! I’m glad we haven’t been forgotten about. This survey gave the humans “the first pictorial evidence that snow leopards are thriving in Wangchuck Centennial Park” even though I could have told them that if they just asked me! But it’s amazing what an organization can achieve in just 50 years.

            Lastly, is there any way we can help their cause? Well of course there is! There is always the option of becoming a member or partner of the organization and donating money as well (which I already do). You can also adopt animals which will help conservation efforts and fight threats like habitat loss and poaching. There are also simpler, and less expensive, ways to help their cause like by being greener and more energy efficient in your daily lives. Just small little changes like that can greatly help the environment, especially if we all start doing it. We all live on this world; we should learn to share it.

1. Roberts, Carter. "WWF." World Wildlife Fund. World Wildlife Fund, 2012. Web. 18 Mar 2012. <http://www.worldwildlife.org/home-full.html>.

            This is the official website of the WWF, or the World Wildlife Fund. Some of the things you can find on this website about the WWF are “Who We Are”, “What We Do”, and “How to Help”. You can also donate or adopt an animal through the website, as well as find useful information on those animals like where they live. There is background information about how the WWF formed and there are news feeds where you can see some of their latest findings.

            What can I say, this website has everything. They have everything from background information to interactive maps and pictures about endangered species. I loved that there was a news feed on the website about the latest findings and things that they have accomplished recently. There’s also this cool thing called “WildFinder” that lets you search for certain species or locations around the world and it maps it out for you. Overall, it gave me a good understanding of who the WWF is and what they do.

2. "Heart of Borneo". youtube.com. 2 March 2012. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 18 March 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rstJQwypXSU&list=UU5MDIy3yhWDrx0MyDo4QmYg&index=2&feature=plcp>. 

            This is a YouTube video by the World Wildlife Fund about Borneo. It explains how the tropical rainforests in Borneo are so diverse and extremely important to protect. There are important facts about Borneo like what species have been discovered there. It also mentions how the rainforests are important to humans as well and how three countries have come together to protect it.

            This video shows the importance of certain locations around the world like the rainforests of Borneo. Borneo is one of critical areas that the WWF focuses on because of its incredible diverse ecosystems. The video gives facts about Borneo like that over 300 species have been discovered there just in the past 10 years. Also, there are plants there that are important to finding cures for human diseases. It’s not just about the animals, it’s about how the whole ecosystem works together.

3. "Coral Reefs: good for marine life, good for us". youtube.com. 8 October 2010. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 18 March 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rstJQwypXSU&list=UU5MDIy3yhWDrx0MyDo4QmYg&index=2&feature=plcp>. 

            This is a YouTube video by the World Wildlife Fund about the coral reefs. It explains how coral reefs are the home of so many marine animals and that they’re important to humans as well. It gives important facts about the coral reefs, how they are being destroyed, and other interesting facts like that it’s the largest living organism in the world.

            Other than animals and plants, the World Wildlife Fund focuses its efforts on the important organism known as coral reef. Coral reefs aren’t just home to marine organisms, they are needed by humans for food and jobs as well. The video gives facts about the coral reef, more specifically the Great Barrier Reef, like that it’s the largest living organism and that it’s the only living organism that can be seen from space. The coral reef, like endangered species, are crucial to the balance of life.

“The Nature Conservancy”

This is the Logo of the Nature Conservancy. They have been working since 1951 to protect and conserve our world. They build relationships with other organizations and communities to help get support and funding.

                Unlike the WWF, you probably haven’t heard of the Nature Conservancy before. I know I haven’t heard about it which is why I wanted to research it for my next blog posting. There are actually a lot of animal conservation and prevention groups that you and I have never heard of before. But they deserve recognition for their efforts. So what is the Nature Conservancy? What do they do? How and when did they form? What are some things that they have done to help conserve and protect? These are just some of the questions I have about the non-profit organization known as the Nature Conservancy.

            “The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people” is what they do. So basically they want to focus on the most environmentally important areas that are threatened the most. They have over a million members and they were founded in 1951 so they’ve only been around for about 60 years. In that short amount of time they’ve protected over a million acres of land, 5000 miles of rivers around the world, and they operate more than 100 marine conservation projects. They don’t just work in the 50 states either; they work in more than 30 countries around the world including Australia, Alaska, and Zambia. They worry about threats such as climate change, fresh water, oceans, and conserving land.

            The Nature Conservancy actually started as the Ecologists Union that was formed by a small group of scientists in 1946. But in 1950 the Ecologists Union changed its name to the Nature Conservancy and in 1951 the Nature Conservancy was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the District of Columbia. Throughout the years, the Nature Conservancy has made so much progress. In 1989 they created the “Parks in Peril” program, with funding from the U.S. Congress, to protect 50 million acres of land in Central America, South American, and the Caribbean. Also in 1989, the Conservancy took on its greatest conservation effort by establishing the “Tallgrass Prairie Preserve”. This program re-created a tallgrass prairie by “reintroducing bison and fire to the ecosystem”. More recently in 2008 the Conservancy preserved 312,000 acres of Montana forestland where species like grizzly bears, lynx, moose, and bull trout call home.

            So how are they so successful? They consider themselves collaborators. They build relationships with indigenous communities, governments, businesses, non-profit organizations, etc. This helps spread the world and get funding for their efforts. They work all over the world and focus on various environmental issues. Rainforests, coral reefs, grasslands, deserts, rivers, lakes, oceans, and prairies are only some of the areas they aim to protect. With the help of others they have achieved great things and will continue to do so in the years to come!

1. "The Nature Conservancy- Protecting Nature, Preserving Life." The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy, 2012. Web. 24 Mar 2012. <http://www.nature.org>.

            This is the official website of the Nature Conservancy. On this website you can find out “Where We Work”, “How We Work”, “Blog” and “Photos & Video” about the Nature Conservancy. There is background information like a timeline of when the Conservancy formed and what accomplishments they have made over the years. They explain how they’re successful and what environmental areas they focus on, as well as what they do in other countries around the world. There are news feeds and the option to donate to the Conservancy on the website too.

            This website gave me so much information about the non-profit organization called the Nature Conservancy. It gave me the organization’s history, how they formed, what they do, where they work, etc. There are news feeds that tell me the latest stories about what the organization is doing nowadays. There were a lot of pictures and videos to watch as well, which is appealing to me and helped me learn more about them. All of this information gave me a good understanding of the Nature Conservancy and what they do.

2. “Coral Reefs Saved My Life.” youtube.com. 2 May 2011. YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. 24 March 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TF7StKV6QTA>. 

            This is a Nature Conservancy YouTube video about a woman from Boston, Massachusetts who survived her struggle with cancer because of the medicinal qualities of the coral reef. She was diagnosed with a form of leukemia when she was younger and says that the coral reef saved her life. Doctors and scientists talk about how inhabitants of the coral reef, like sponges, have amazing healing properties for acute leukemia and other diseases.

            This woman’s story is only one of the many cases where the coral reef has been able to save a person’s life. When it comes to conservation and prevention, people mostly think of animals, plants, and land but they forget about the coral reef. Unfortunately, the coral reef is being destroyed for various reasons which could mean the loss of possible cures and medicinal properties that are important to humans. Hopefully this video will convince people about how important the coral reef is and that we need to protect it.

3. “Atlantic Forest, Brazil – The Nature Conservancy.” youtube.com. 28 October 2007. YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. 24 March 2012. < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyuZ-LNK4IY&list=PLE7662FE79F2E3192&index=1&feature=plpp_video>. 

            This is a YouTube video about the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. It used to be over 330 million acres but now there is only seven percent of it left. After years of deforestation, this amazing and diverse forest is on the verge of being lost entirely. This forest is home to so many species that aren’t found anywhere else on Earth.

            This Atlantic Forest in Brazil is another example of a diverse area that is threatened by human destruction. If this forest is destroyed, so many species will be in serious danger of extinction because this forest is the only place they live. The forest is also economically important to humans and it provides health benefits to communities that live around it. Groups like the Nature Conservancy choose areas like this to work in so they can preserve the biodiversity.

“The NRDC”

This is the NRDC's logo that represents the nation's most effective environmental action group, combining the  power of 1.3 million members and online activists with more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.

            To my surprise, the NRDC is “the nation’s most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.3 million members and online activists” along with scientists, lawyers, and other professionals (http://www.nrdc.org). NRDC stands for the Natural Resources Defense Council and their main slogan is “The Earth’s Best Defense”. Their main concerns are preventing global warming, saving the oceans, protecting wildlife and land, protecting human’s health by preventing pollution, promising safe water, and encouraging sustainable communities. So are there any differences between the National Resources Defense Council and the other conservation groups I have blogged about? When did the NRDC form? What are some of the things that they have accomplished over the years? These are some of the questions that I have about the NRDC while I’m researching them for my last blog posting.

            I watched a video on their website and learned quite a few things about their mission and what they have done. They have worked on air quality issues for 40 years but now they’re focusing more on climate change like global warming. I learned about a company in Ohio called AMP, or American Municipal Power, that was proposing to build a large coal plant. The coal plants are detrimental to the surrounding community and people have died as a direct result of the coal plants’ pollution. Other environmental organizations basically said “don’t bother with this one, there’s no way to beat a coal plant in Ohio” but the NRDC took on the challenge which caused AMP sponsors to scrap the idea of the new coal plant. That is just one of the many obstacles the NRDC has overcome since it was founded in 1970. The cool thing about the NRDC is that they focus on everything from protecting wildlife to creating clean energy choices since these things affect everyone and everything on our planet.

            Since the NRDC has been focusing more on climate change, I found an article in the “Global Warming” section of their webpage about the sustainability of water in the future. The NRDC performed a study that “examined the effects of global warming on water supply and demand in the contiguous United States”. They found that “more than 1,100 counties – one-third of all counties in the lower 48 – will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as the result of a global warming. More than 400 of these counties will face extremely high risks of water shortages” (http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/watersustainability/index.asp). This is bad news for humans, wildlife, plants, and any other creature on our planet because everyone knows that water is essential to life. The good news is that these horrible effects of global warming can be prevented!

The NRDC’s global warming solutions are to set limits on global warming pollution, invest in green jobs and clean energy, drive smarter cars, create green homes and buildings, and build better communities and transportation networks (http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/solutions/). With the help of groups like the NRDC and supporters we can help prevent things like global warming from occurring. If we just continue to pollute our planet and do nothing to fix it, then we will all find ourselves with no planet to live on.

1. Beinecke, Frances. "National Resources Defense Council." National Resources Defense Council. National Resources Defense Council, 2010. Web. 31 Mar 2012. <http://www.nrdc.org/>.

            This is the official website of the National Resources Defense Council or the NRDC. Some sections of the website include “About NRDC”, “Issues”, “Policy”, “Act Now”, and “Donate”. Information about the NRDC’s history and accomplishments can be found on this website. The NRDC’s priority issues like global warming, clean energy, and endangered wildlife have their own webpage that goes into detail about the issue. There are recent news stories displayed under the “Policy” section for up-to-date news regarding the environment.

            This website gave me the background information that I wanted to know about the NRDC. I found out when the NRDC was formed and some of the things that they have accomplished over the past 42 years. I found the “Issues” section very helpful because it gave me a good understanding of what the NRDC focuses on and why. There were also news feeds that let me know the most recent NRDC and environmental stories to show what the NRDC is doing nowadays.

2. “Nature’s Advocate.” youtube.com. 13 January 2012. YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. 31 March 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbXBu8nNC5w >. 

            This is an NRDC YouTube video found on the NRDC’s official website. Speakers from the NRDC include the President and Vice President of the group. They talk about the NRDC’s history and some things that they have done over the years. They explain that by using the law, science, and market-based solutions the NRDC is “helping safeguard the elements of life” which is the NRDC’s mission.

            This video is a good introduction into the NRDC’s history, goals, and accomplishments. It allowed me to see the people that run the NRDC like the President and Vice President. They talked about what issues they focus on, most recently the issue of climate change and global warming. They’re willing to do what it takes to make changes in the world like preventing an Ohio coal company from creating a coal plant. It gave me a good understanding of what the NRDC does.

3. “This is What Global Warming Looks Like.” youtube.com. 20 September 2010. YouTube – Broadcast Yourself. 1 April 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pG41xDxrzI8&feature=relmfu>.

            This is an NRDC YouTube video about recent events occurring around the world. The video’s main point is that the earth is giving us so many signs about what is happening to it. Flooding, record temperatures, and forest fires are just some of the signs that we should be listening to. This video is trying to make people aware of global warming and drastic climate changes that have already started occurring.

            This video is important to my research because it gives a summary of what has been happening around the world in the past few years. In 2010 there were record high temperatures in the United States as well as flooding that swept through Iowa and Tennessee. In 2010 Russia experienced its hottest summer ever recorded which caused hundreds of wildfires that left a toxic smog over Russia. These, along with many other climate changes, are just the beginning of our problems so we need to fix and prevent the ones that are already occurring.