Resources: How You Can Help
The following list of organizations involved with the protection and conservation of wild things and wild places is by no means comprehensive. They happen to be favorites of mine, whose goals, principles, and missions I wholeheartedly support and are quoted below. Subscribing to one or more of these organizations expands an individual’s power, knowledge, and efficacy in the world of conservation. Being part of a huge community, making positive changes for Earth and its inhabitants, is deeply rewarding.
ABA: “The American Birding Association inspires all people to enjoy and protect wild birds.”
ABC: The American Bird Conservancy “is dedicated to achieving conservation results for birds of the Americas.”
Amazon Watch “was founded in 1996 to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of indigenous people in the Amazon Basin.”
Audubon Society: The National Audubon Society’s mission is “to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.”
There are 460 local Audubon chapters across the United States with similar missions.
BirdLife International “is the world’s largest nature conservation Partnership. Together we are 119 BirdLife Partners worldwide from 117 country/territories. We are driven by our belief that local people working for nature in their own places but connected nationally and internationally through our global Partnership are the key to sustaining all life on this planet. This unique local-to-global approach delivers high impact and long-term conservation for the benefit of nature and people.”
Center for Biological Diversity: “We believe that the welfare of human beings is deeply linked to nature—to the existence in our world of a vast diversity of wild animals and plants. Because diversity has intrinsic value, and because its loss impoverishes society, we work to secure a future for all species, great and small, hovering on the brink of extinction. We do so through science, law and creative media, with a focus on protecting the lands, waters and climate that species need to survive. . . . We want those who come after us to inherit a world where the wild is still alive.”
Centre ValBio, at Stony Brook University, “was created by Professor Patricia Wright in 2003 to help both indigenous people and the interna- tional community better understand the value of conservation in Madagascar and around the world.”
CITES: “The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.”
Cornell Lab of Ornithology: “We use science to understand the world, to find new ways to make conservation work, and to involve people who share our passion.”
David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust “is today the most successful orphan- elephant rescue and rehabilitation program in the world and one of the pioneering conservation organisations for wildlife and habitat protection in East Africa.”
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Wildlife Park, and the Durrell Foundation are leaders in “saving species from extinction.”
Earthjustice: “We exist because the earth needs a good lawyer.”
Ecojustice: “Canadians on the frontlines of the fight for environmental justice…We launch groundbreaking lawsuits that level the playing field so industry interests can’t trump those of people and the planet.”
Ecology Action Centre: “A society in Nova Scotia that respects and pro- tects nature and provides environmentally and economically sustainable solutions for its citizens.”
Friends of the Earth “strives for a more healthy and just world…We are one of 75 national member groups of Friends of the Earth Inter- national, a global network representing more than two million activists in 73 countries.”
Greenpeace: “Our investigations expose environmental crimes and the people, companies and governments that need to be held responsible . . . We have the courage to take action and stand up for our beliefs.”
Indianapolis Prize “is the largest individual monetary award given for animal conservation in the world and is one of the ways the Indianapo- lis Zoo empowers people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation.”
International Conservation Fund of Canada “conserves nature in the tropics and other priority areas worldwide.”
International Crane Foundation “works worldwide to conserve cranes and the ecosystems, watersheds and flyways on which they depend.”
IUCN: International Union for Conservation of Nature “is driven by two features today: Global production and consumption patterns are destroying our life support system—nature—at persistent and dangerously high rates.” The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has assessed about eighty thousand species of flora and fauna to date from “Least Concern” to “Critically Endangered.”
National Geographic Society “has been inspiring people to care about the planet since 1888.”
NRDC: The Natural Resources Defense Council “works on a broad range of issues as we pursue our mission to safeguard the Earth; its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends. As an institution we have six main priorities: curbing global warming and creating the clean energy future; reviving the world’s oceans; defending endangered wildlife and wild places; protecting our health by preventing pollution; ensuring safe and sufficient water; fostering sustainable communities.”
Nature Conservancy: “The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.”
Nova Scotia Nature Trust “protects Nova Scotia’s outstanding natural legacy through land conservation.”
Oceana “is dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s oceans on a global scale.”
Panthera: Panthera’s “mission is to ensure a future for wild cats and the vast landscapes on which they depend.”
Rainforest Trust: Founded by the ornithologist Robert Ridgely, the Rainforest Trust “protects threatened tropical forest and endangered wildlife by partnering with local and community organizations in and around the areas that are being threatened. After we purchase acres of endangered land, we empower local people to help protect it by offering them education, training and employment.”
RARE “focuses on bright spots in conservation . . . to turn local change into global impact . . . by inspiring communities to take pride in their natural resources.”
Riverkeeper: “Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect the environmental, rec- reational and commercial integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries, and safeguard the drinking water of nine million New York City and Hudson Valley residents.”
Safina Center: The center was founded by Carl Safina, and its mission “is to inspire a deeper connection with nature and the motivation to act. We do that by bridging science, literature and film . . . We prompt people to make better personal choices, support smart policy change and create innovative, practical solutions that advance global conservation efforts.”
Save the Elephants: The organization was founded in 1993 by Iain Douglas-Hamilton, and its mission is “to secure a future for elephants and sustain the beauty and ecological integrity of the places they live, to promote man’s delight in their intelligence and the diversity of their world, and to develop a tolerant relationship between the two species.”
Sierra Club: “Founded by legendary conservationist John Muir in 1892, the Sierra Club is now the largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization—with more than two million members and supporters. Our successes range from protecting millions of acres of wilderness to helping pass the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act.”
Snow Leopard Conservancy: “Ensuring Snow Leopard survival and con- serving mountain landscapes by expanding environmental awareness and sharing innovative practices through community stewardship and partnerships.”
Traffic: Traffic’s mission “is to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature.” It does this in part by “investigating and analysing wildlife trade trends, patterns, impacts and drivers to provide the leading knowledge base on trade in wild animals and plants.”
Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program: Founded by Lisa Dabek and housed at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo, the TKCP “fosters wildlife and habitat conservation and supports community livelihoods in Papua New Guinea.”
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: The USFWS is a bureau within the Department of the Interior, whose mission is “to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.”
Wild Foundation “advances a reciprocal, balanced relationship between people and nature—our Nature Needs Half vision.”
WildAid: WildAid’s mission is “to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes. We envision a world where people no longer buy products such as shark fin, elephant ivory and rhino horn . . . WildAid works to reduce global consumption of wildlife products by persuading consumers and strengthening enforcement . . . When the buying stops the killing can too.”
Wildlife Conservation Society: “WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education and inspiring people to value nature.”
