6 Conservationist Efforts To Heal Mother Earth

Overdevelopment, logging, tourism, and many other factors have contributed to the decimation of the natural world and the flora and fauna that call it home. Luckily, many groups exist to research our unique environments and advocate for their protection. In no particular order, this list shares several eco-conscious organizations fighting for the great outdoors.

For #1, we have the Lemur Conservation Network. It unites dozens of conservation organizations working to protect over 100 species of lemurs across their island home in Madagascar. The group aims to safeguard these animals' habitat and ultimately save them from extinction.

The Network offers up several tips for individuals who wish to volunteer and help save lemurs. It encourages people to participate in World Lemur Day, which highlights the challenges these creatures face and promotes facts and information about them. There are also several online and in-person events, such as concerts and presentations.

Coming in at #2 is the Conservation Federation of Missouri, a private organization that works to better the state's natural resources and represent its citizen environmentalists. The Federation often speaks before the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources.

C.F.M. members are local hunters, fishermen, foresters, campers, trappers, hikers, paddlers, birdwatchers, and more. The group sponsors a multi-year program that offers high school and college students the opportunity to influence conservation policy and actions.

For #3, we present the Lake Pedder Restoration Committee. This group's goal is to restore Lake Pedder, located in Tasmania, to its original state before the human-made Huon-Serpentine impoundment decimated its pinkish-white quartzite beach. Through the project, the Committee wishes to show that Tasmania can achieve a renewable energy future and fix its past mistakes.

The Committee has conducted a full ecological survey, reporting on the impact that restoration would have on flora, platypuses, the vegetation, and the soil. In addition, it has researched the positive social change that this work would have on the local community.

The #4 entry is the National Parks Conservation Association. Based in Washington, DC, the nonprofit works to protect America's national parks on the ground, in the courtroom, and on Capitol Hill. It has dozens of chapters around the country, and a team of program and policy experts, volunteers, staff lobbyists, community organizers, and communications specialists who aim to inform and inspire the public and influence decision-makers.

The NPCA campaigns around air pollution, park funding, climate change, energy use, and more. The nonprofit also works to protect and create national park designations around cultural sites and landmarks, such as the schools built by philanthropist Julius Rosenwald in Arkansas, Mississippi, and elsewhere.

Next up, at #5, we find Ya’axche Conservation Trust. Founded in 1998 by a consortium of local leaders, it exists to advocate for preserving natural areas of Belize. The organization is explicitly focused on the Maya Golden Landscape; there, it manages several protected areas and works with local communities to achieve harmony between nature and human development.

In order to communicate about its campaigns and work, the trust utilizes national and international media sources such as newspapers, magazines, and websites, and also runs its own newsletter. The YCT often partners with global networks, such as the Belize Association for Private Protected Areas, to tackle environmental issues.

Rounding out our list at #6 is Island Conservation. Headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, this nonprofit hopes to prevent extinctions by removing invasive species from islands. It began as an idea shared by professors Don Croll and Bernie Tershy, after they had witnessed the impacts of invasive species in Mexico while conducting seabird research.

The nonprofit works with local communities, government management agencies, and conservation organizations to achieve its goals. It develops plans for removing invasive species, implements the removal of these plants and animals, and conducts research to better understand how these practices can benefit island ecosystems and inform future conservation action.