Who does the work of Restoring Native Landscapes and maintaining them? It's done by Restoration Ecologists, non profits usually and the help of many agencies from local, State and Federal. All of these people work together to put together natural habitats that help keep biodiversity alive and well in our ecosystems and to help native and endangered species thrive.
One of my local Ecological Restoration non-profits does so much amazing work, mostly with the help of volunteers and is in dire need of help. Because they must have insurance to cover those volunteers, they are asking people to help raise the money need to pay their annual premium. It's not a small sum.
Back to Natives must raise $6,700.00 by June 1st! Without insurance we can not lead restoration events. this may be our last year with out your help. If you have volunteered please consider donating just $5.00 today www.backtonatives.org/donations.shtml or even become a member today! www.backtonatives.org/members.shtml We need your support now more than ever!
Mustard removal, one of the most invasive plants that is a threat to native plants a huge fire hazard once it dries up. We just don't have enough people to remove this nasty weed.
Their tagline fits perfectly, Saving habitat one person at a time.
Saving habitat.
What has been one of the many lessons to come from the last 30 plus days of the unfolding nightmare in the Gulf? Native habitats matter, they matter to the environment, they matter to biodiverisity and they matter to the economy.
Southern California is a biological diversity hotspot! Go figure, but it is. It has an amazing number of endemic and native plants and animals that can only be found in this one spot, only here. And it's what makes this place special.
Back To NativesRESTORATION is dedicated to the restoration and conservation of Orange County and California wildlands, through education and restoration programs featuring native plants as a centralizing theme. BTN promotes native plants, as well as habitat restoration and preservation by providing service learning and volunteer based habitat restoration programs.
Through outreach and education, Back to Natives strives to involve the community in the process of ecological restoration and conservation. We believe that a little "ecological enlightenment" and a chance to "get your hands dirty" is the best way to improve relations between people and Nature.
And what makes me aware of how special their own backyard is to get them involved! That's what they do, they get people involved.
And this amazing organization is working with many other non profits to train people and make them aware that they can make a diference!
Training Program
The United States Forest Service & Back to NativesRESTORATION is presenting a Volunteer Restoration Training Program on 9 Saturdays in 2009 & 2010. Ecological restoration is a means of sustaining the diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing healthy ecosystems.
The program is for volunteers interested in the restoration and conservation of Orange County wildlands. Successful habitat restoration ensures that native species are protected while non-native species are removed efficiently, and with minimal human impact to the site. The program will acquaint participants with non-chemical, low impact weed removal methods.
Training is Free.
They also work with the local Girls and Boy Scouts, offer tons of education information for the community and do Native Landscaping for people who need help with killing their lawns and putting in drought tolerant Native plants to use less water and fertilizers!
Just some of their offerings:
Brownie "Plants" Try-it Program
Brownies learn about the importance of plants. During a nature hike, scouts learn how plants provide habitat for animals and give humans food, shelter, clothing, tools, medicine and even oxygen in the air we breathe! Scouts build a human tree and go on a "leaf hunt" and collect fallen leaves(which they later return
to the Earth) to do a leaf rubbing activity. They begin an experiment to see which Orange County native plant seed wins a sprout race.
Brownie "Earth Is Our Home"
Try-it Program
Brownies learn that people must share the Earth with plants and animals. Scouts learn about ecosystems, and make their own plant terrarium to take home. They take a nature hike to search for the homes of wild animals. Along the trail they discuss renewable and non-renewable resources, and learn how they can help save energy.
They make their own biodegradable furniture polish to make their own homes more "green". Scouts participate in an environmental service project that helps maintain habitat for wildlife.
Girl Scout Habitat Garden Program
The Back to Natives Girl Scout Habitat Garden Program was developed to educate scouts about the value of native plants and wildlife habitat, especially in an urban environment. Scouts can do meaningful community service by planting a habitat garden at their scout house, school or community space, and earn hours towards their Bronze Award.
Junior "Eco-Action" Badge Program
Juniors take action to help people, plants and animals on the earth. During a nature hike, scouts discuss ways that water, soil and air become polluted, and play a game to learn ways to conserve water. Scouts learn about the negative impacts of plastic in
"Plastic Plague Jeopardy," pick up trash along the trail and decorate their own canvass shopping bags to take home. They learn about a famous female environmentalist and participate in an environmental service project to improve habitat for wildlife.
Teaching our kids about the importance of habitat restoration, biodiversity and the importance of plants and animals in the ecosystems around us is going to be important to the future of this planet. You think I may be heavy handed, but I believe that I am just painfully sincere. I just happen to love this nonprofit and want to see them continue their work into the coming years and would love for my Daughter's brownie troop to be able to do one of these programs!
Why our Work is Important
In California, there are over 5,000 native plant species, more than in the central and northeastern US and Canada combined. More than 1500 of these plant species are endemic to (found only in) California, and most of these endemic species are found in Southern California.
Southern California is one of the 34 global biodiversity "hotspots". Hotspots are where the largest number of different species can be found, especially those species found nowhere else. More than 60 percent of the Earth's total species live in hotspots, which cover only 1.44 percent of its surface. In California, 20 percent of the naturally occurring species of amphibians, birds, reptiles and mammals are classified as endangered, threatened, or "of special concern" by the state or federal government.
Orange County is "a hotspot within a hotspot", with more native plant species per square mile than Yosemite National Park. Orange County has over 1200 species of native vascular plants.*
As the human population grows, many of Orange County's open spaces are vanishing. Only one percent of native grasslands, 15 percent of Coastal Sage Scrub, 15 percent of riparian areas, and 25 percent of the perennial stream habitat in California is left. It is imperative that Orange County residents understand the value of the last remaining wild places, and protect them from threats of all kinds.
Okay DKGreenroots, can we come together for this cause and chip in Five bucks for Back to Natives? I am going to.