Whether by directly supporting local conservation efforts or by contributing to worldwide citizen science project, the opportunities to engage directly in preserving biodiversity are everywhere. Taking action could mean something as small as creating a container garden on your balcony, or as big as inspiring a whole community to preserve an endangered species. Browse the categories below to see what might be right for you!
Rethink Your Footprint
An acre of land, a small backyard, or even a window sill or balcony — each of these spaces present an opportunity to create a small haven of native wildlife. As our world continues to be shaped by human development and invasive species, every square foot of native habitat counts in the collective effort to preserve wild spaces.
Action Guide
Build a Local Wildlife Corridor
With just a few changes, you can transform your yard or balcony from a wildlife desert into a wildlife sanctuary full of native plants, pollinators, and birdlife.
Action Guide
How to Make a Frog Pond
When it comes to the question of how to help frogs locally, the answer can be surprisingly simple: just add water.
Action Guide
Make Your Yard Bat-Friendly
Bats in North America need your help! These steps will help you make your home welcoming to these important insect-eaters.
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Watch & Share
Support Big Change
Reversing global problems often begins with supporting local solutions. Even in the wake of large-scale environmental threats like widespread pollution or habitat loss, there are actionable ways to start today and contribute to the movement of change.
Action Guide
Undoing the Damage of Large-scale Animal Agriculture
Scientists like Pat Brown combat the issue on two fronts: first to create alternative options for protein that don’t come from animals, and second, to transform defunct cattle ranches into revived forested ecosystems.
Action Guide
Play Your Part to Reduce Ocean Plastic
Around ten million tons of plastic enter the world’s oceans each year, but there are small actions any individual can take to contribute to the ocean plastic solution, whether you live near the ocean or not.
Action Guide
Mobilize Your Community to Help Endangered Species
Inspired by some of the greatest efforts of community-led habitat preservation, here are some of our best tips to help jump-start a community-based conservation movement.
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Participate in Science
Big conservation requires big sets of trustworthy data — that’s why many large-scale efforts of land preservation or corridor design rely on sets of observations collected by citizen scientists. Contributing to these movements is easy, fun, and leads to real change.
Action Guide
How to Organize a Bioblitz
A “bioblitz” takes a snapshot of an ecosystem at a certain point in time — usually conducted over just a few hours or a few days — when a team of observers gathers together to record all the plants and animals they are able to spot within a given area.
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Protect Birds with eBird
Birding is a growing hobby for all ages and all types of communities, and the pastime can actually contribute valuable insights to ornithologists! Using the eBird app while observing birds can make your findings available to scientists working on bird conservation.
External Partner
Explore More with SciStarter
In collaboration with the community-science hub SciStarter, we’re making it easy to find locally-oriented projects that connect to the content covered in all our stories. This is real science anyone can do – try starting today!