Tag Archive for conservation

5 Benefits of Volunteering or Doing Community Service

5 Benefits of Volunteering

Volunteering has many benefits for both the community and the volunteers themselves.

5 Benefits of Volunteering or Doing Community Service

Volunteering benefits not only those you are helping but also yourself. Though you most likely are volunteering (or thinking about volunteering) because you want to help others and/or do some good in your community, volunteering also comes with some lasting benefits for the volunteer.

Whether you are volunteering to help your community, individuals, animals, or the environment, what you get back from your acts of service can be worth just as much as the work you put in. Below, we explore five of the main benefits of volunteering in your community.

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Keep Your Cat Indoors to Protect the Environment

Keep Cats Indoors to Protect the Environmet

Outdoor cats can disrupt the entire ecosystem by hunting native species to extinction, spreading deadly parasites, and taking food away from native predators.

Keep Your Cat Indoors to Protect the Environment

Though most responsible pet owners understand the importance of keeping their cat as an indoor-only cat for the cat’s safety and health, many never think about the importance of keeping cats inside for environmental reasons. Allowing your cat to roam outdoors can directly contribute to the collapse of entire ecosystems. It is important to understand the effects that pet cats can have on the environment and on native wildlife when left allowed to roam unsupervised.

For both the well-being of your cat and the well-being of the planet, please consider keeping your cat as an indoor-only cat.

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Natural Ways to Control Mosquitoes in Your Garden

Natural Ways to Control Mosquitos

There are many ways to repel and remove mosquitos naturally and organically without having to resort to harmful commercial chemicals.

Natural Ways to Control Mosquitoes in Your Garden

Mosquitoes can make enjoying time in your garden extremely difficult. They are not only irritating, they can also potentially spread diseases to you and your pets. Luckily there are many ways you can discourage mosquitos from taking up residence in your garden and get rid of the ones that are already there. There are many different scents that you can utilize to prevent mosquitos from visiting. For the ones that are not deterred by the deterrents, there are plenty of natural mosquito predators that you can attempt to attract to your yard as extra security against these blood-sucking insects.

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Why Are Monarch Butterflies in Danger?

Why are monarch butterflies in danger?

Monarch butterfly populations are in rapid decline. Find out why these iconic butterflies are in danger, and what you can do to save them.

Why Are Monarch Butterflies in Danger?

Monarch butterflies are important pollinators in our ecosystem. Without pollinators, we humans, and most other animals, wouldn’t have much of the food we rely on for survival. Pollinators such as monarch butterflies are a vitally important part of the food chain. Butterflies are important indicators of the overall health of the environment and ecosystem where they reside.

Additionally, monarch butterflies are considered a “flagship” species for conservation. This means that they are a well-known, well-liked, and easily recognizable species that people are more willing to get involved with conserving. These butterflies help to get people involved in efforts to protect and restore habitats, which benefits not only monarchs, but other pollinators as well. Simply put, these butterflies inspire people to help protect the environment.

Unfortunately, these iconic pollinators are in danger, in no small part due to human influence. Because of human activities such as agriculture, pesticide use, urban development, and pollution leading to climate change, monarch butterfly populations are in rapid decline. Here are some of the biggest threats faced by monarch butterflies, and what we can do to help them before it is too late.

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A Guide to Ohio’s 13 Native Milkweed Species

Ohio's Native Milkweed Species

There are 13 native species of milkweed that occur in Ohio. This guide will help you to identify them.

A Guide to Ohio’s 13 Native Milkweed Species

Milkweed is a very important part of Ohio’s native ecosystem. It is critically important for Monarch butterflies, whose population have been in severe decline in recent years due to habitat loss from urban development, agriculture, and pesticide use. Monarch caterpillars rely on milkweed as their one and only food source, so this is where adult female monarch butterflies lay their eggs.

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How to Turn Your Own Backyard Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat

NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat

Do you love wildlife? Consider turning your own backyard into a Certified Wildlife Habitat recognized by the National Wildlife Federation.

How to Turn Your Own Backyard Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat

A National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat is a property that is certified by the NWF as meeting their requirements for a habitat that supports local wildlife. Anyone can certify their property as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by first ensuring that the property meets all the requirements set forth by the NWF, then applying on their website and paying a small fee. Just about any type of property can become a Certified Wildlife Habitat, but this article will focus on your own backyard. It is easier than you think to implement everything you need for your garden or yard to become a Certified Wildlife Habitat.

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