Preserve Our Native Species
Two Yellow-Bellied Slider Turtles at Cypress Gardens Preserve, SC, USA
Nature Preservation: A True Life-Saver
Land preservation is essential to protecting the natural habitats of many animals - from insects on the ground to the birds in our skies. Throughout most of the world, land preservation is accomplished through placing certain segments of land under a protected status. Protected land has limitations on how it can be developed, and these limitations can range from the land staying wilderness forever to being developed into mines or oil fields. In the United States of America, land preservation often takes the form of nature and forest preserves, which are regulated by local, state, and federal governments.
Over 10% of the world's protected land is located within the United States of America, and according to the Society for Conservation Biology, this protected land has prevented the extinction of over 48 different bird and mammal species in the U.S (https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.12762). The survival of these threatened species depends on the continued existence and support of USA National Parks and nature preserves.
How You Can Help Preserve Our Country's Natural Habitats
Cypress Gardens Preserve, SC, USA
Support our National Parks
Without the USA National Park Foundation, many of our protected nature preserves would be much more difficult to access and enjoy. The National Park Foundation makes these preserves accessible and safe to the public, and it allows many parks to create educational installations for the public to enjoy.
The National Park Foundation also funds the maintenance and restoration of nature preserves. To make a donation to support our USA National Parks, visit the following link - https://www.nationalparks.org/.
Male Wood Duck, Cypress Gardens Preserve, SC, USA
Leave No Trace
When stepping out into nature, it is vital to be conscientious of the impact we have on our surroundings. In order to protect the natural world around us, we must be careful to minimize our footprint through cleaning up after ourselves, leaving nature the way we found it, and extinguishing all traces of campfires.
For more information on how to leave no trace when interacting with nature, visit lnt.org to learn the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace.