You may already have a list of resolutions started with the hopes of sparking a few new positive changes in your life. Although, instead of resolving to hit the gym more frequently or vowing to end late night snack sessions, include wildlife conservation to expand your view of what New Year’s resolutions should be about.
You might be wondering, what is wildlife conservation exactly? Or, beyond this question, which resolutions can you make in order to have a positive impact on our natural ecosystems?
Wildlife conservation is the act of protecting animal species to prevent habitat degradation and extinction, and here are specific resolutions you can make to recognize the importance of wildlife conservation while making a difference in the New Year:
How you handle your catches can determine whether or not they survive to grow larger and reproduce. Practicing proper catch and release is important, particularly in highly pressured waterways, in order to maintain healthy fish populations.
Buy a reusable water bottle, bring reusable grocery bags when you go shopping, and skip the plasticware from restaurants in lieu of reusable bamboo cutlery or silverware. Over 1 million birds die every year from ingestion or entanglement in plastic, but the ecological issues don’t stop there. According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, over 100,000 marine mammals are killed by plastic pollution annually.
Fish and wildlife conservation efforts include maintaining healthy, clean habitats so that wildlife can continue to thrive. Join a local movement to remove trash from aquatic resources and marine ecosystems while helping to inspire a change in the behaviors that cause pollution.
For example, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offers volunteer opportunities at more than 500 refuges and hatcheries throughout the United States.
Continue reading, “Wildlife Conservation Resolutions for the New Year” from our friends at TakeMeFishing.org here.