The Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment is a ballot initiative to stop the raiding of conservation funds and return to protecting important habitat areas.

In recent years, the funding that was intended for protecting important streams, wetlands, forests, and beaches has been diverted away from conservation. In fact, the Florida state legislature has cut conservation spending by nearly 98 percent. Florida, known for its breathtaking habitats and intriguing creatures, now spends less than one dollar per Floridian on conservation. We need to act now to restore funding to preserve our conservation legacy for the next generation before it’s too late.

Right now we have a chance to secure funding that will protect water quality and restore wildlife habitats by making sure the Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment appears on Florida’s 2014 state ballot. The Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment would amend the state constitution to safeguard conservation money—dedicating funds to help fish and wildlife habitats, protect water quality, restore the Everglades and much more.

Help build support for conservation!

• Facebook: Spread the word by sharing this photo of an adorable manatee! Remind your friends to sign the petition when they see a volunteer on Election Day.
• Don’t have Facebook? Send your friends an electronic postcard of a roly-poly manatee. Help support the Florida Water and Land Conservation Amendment and encourage your friends to sign the petition on Election Day.
• Volunteer: We need 50,000 more signatures by November 31st to get the Amendment reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court. With millions of Floridians headed to the polls on November 6, it may be our best chance at gathering the signatures needed. We know that with enough dedicated volunteers, we can reach our goal of 50,000 signatures. Sign up today!

Manual labor was not in my plans when I signed up to attend a field trip for my conservation biology class to the Ives Road Fen in Tecumseh, MI. It was an opportunity to experience a fen, which is a rare type of wetland that is fed by mineral rich waters and home to a range of wildlife and plants. I was excited to see this rich habitat that was thriving only 45 minutes out of downtown Ann Arbor, MI.

It came as a shock when I realized the large impact invasive species have had on the fen. Even more of a surprise was hearing that I was expected to help remove the tough and invasive autumn olive plants.

When all is said and done however, I’m glad for the experience helping remove invasive species. It really drove home the impact of invasive species to me in a way that a textbook never could.

Books might mention that invasive species have the capability to dominate an ecosystem and wipe out native species, but when you see firsthand how stark and desolate the land is where invasive species have been eradicated the effect is much more powerful. We were in the middle of a remarkable fen ecosystem with hundreds of different species, yet the place where autumn olive had invaded was was now completely barren ground.

I may not have planned on manual labor, nor was I thrilled at having it sprung upon me, but I do plan on returning and bringing others with me to help eradicate autumn olive.

If the work that we did on one Saturday afternoon can help bring back the life and vitality of the fen to that desolate spot then it was entirely worth it.

Any positive action– one day of pulling and hacking invasive species or participating in the cleanup of a small local stream– can have a profound impact on restoring local ecosystems. No action is too small, and I encourage everyone to get involved in whatever way they can to help restore local wildlife habitat.

Over the course of six years, these wildlife rock stars–and yes, volunteers–got more than 180 Montclair homes (30 over just the last year), 10 schools, five community gardens or parks, five businesses, three churches and two synagogues to become Certified Wildlife Habitat^® sites.

Sabina Ernst tells the Montclair story better than anyone:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Sabina: “I live in Montclair, New Jersey, and I have been part of the habitat team here since pretty much the beginning. I heard about Dave Wasmuth through a friend and started to get interested in native plants. It was something that really interested me because it seems very sustainable and the right model to follow….The whole town is represented not just one cluster…. It is a good thing to do.  It has been really fun. It feels like we have done a really good thing for Montclair and for the Earth.”

Certified Habitats bring welcomed visitors (photo taken in front of Sabrina's front yard)

The Montclair volunteers also made this great website to spread the good news, and organize the community effort.

New Jersey’s First Community Wildlife Habitat

With the community pulling together for wildlife like never before, Montclair has become New Jersey’s first certified Community Wildlife Habitat and the 38th certified community in the nation.

This means that residents, businesses, places of worship and others are providing the basics for desired wildlife – food, water, cover, and places to raise young – while helping the environment by using native plants, composting, eliminating pesticide use, and conserving water.

Dave and Jose Proud Gardeners and Community Leaders

Backyard Habitat Tour

On July 11, I took advantage of their annual “Backyard Habitat Tour,” where Montclair residents opened up their backyards for visitors to see the amazing things they have done to bring nature to their backyards. These National Wildlife Federation volunteers are working every day to improve their community and help wildlife.

It was great meeting Dave Wasmuth who has led the charge in Montclair. His gardens were a great mix of flowers, native plants and vegetables.

I also got to meet Jose German who, along with Dave, made their home a special place. Jose was really inspirational to me. He left his job as an accountant to form www.greenharmonynow.com, a landscaping business that helps businesses and homeowners choose wildlife friendly landscaping.

Dave and Jose also showed me how Montclair planted some trees along their road. Many of the trees died but the one planted in Dave and Jose’s yard is thriving. I think they are on to something!

Wildlife Habitat Makes Homes and Communities a Special Place

Sabina has lead the charge to not only make her yard wildlife-friendly but also she has worked with her local schools where her children attend school to certify them in NWF’s Schoolyard Habitat program. She also told me that she has seen a Cooper Hawk in her backyard, along with the cute rabbit that I saw.

Spreading the Love for Wildlife

Dave, Jose, Sabina and others are not just thinking about Montclair. They are reaching out to other neighboring towns as well.

Anne Stires is from down the road in Verona, and she is so excited by this project that she joined the Montclair Habitat Team and helped out the Montclair volunteers with their event. Anne is also the President of the Hilltop Conservancy in Verona, which is responsible for protecting and restoring one of the last large tracks of undeveloped land in this area.

All this inspiration makes me see how Dave, Jose and Sabina’s efforts can be multiplied by others across New Jersey.

We could create a large “corridor” of backyard, school, and community habitats across New Jersey. Of course, we need to protect our critical landscapes like the New Jersey Highlands, but it all starts in the home or in this case in the backyard.

Learn more about how to turn your garden or yard into a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat^® site

Click here to view the embedded video.

On April 20^th, 2010, as many American’s watched their TV sets in utter disbelief as oil poured into the Gulf of Mexico, a group of college students were planning their trip to come help!  As we reach the one year anniversary of the oil spill, the University of California at Berkley students joined National Wildlife Federation and dedicated their spring break time away from examinations and study sessions to engage in restoration events in Florida.

On March 25th, a dozen students traveled more than 2,000 miles to volunteer at local state parks in Florida. Their high energy, hard work, and determination was certainly felt by all at National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Restoration Event at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park.  The importance of restoration and maintaining Florida’s Gulf coast also resonated with locals who call the Gulf home.  South Walton Community members joined us and together, we were able to accomplish properly marking 6 trails, installing signs and effectively roping off over 3 miles of beach to protect the dunes and wildlife, and removing invasive exotic plant species to allow for native pitcher plant growth.

The volunteer events in Florida (Bald Point State Park, Perdido Key State Park, and Topsail Hill Preserve State Park) have all been a true testament that hard work, dedication, team work, and some suntan lotion and bug spray, can lead to tremendous improvements for wildlife who call these parks home. 

As our restoration events are now moving west we need your help now more than ever!  Tasked with planting 23,000 grasses over two, two day events, our National Wildlife Federation team is partnering with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation to make this goal a reality.  Our next event will take place at Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, just outside New Orleans.  Planting marsh grasses will restore lost habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife species and we need your help!

Join us April 15^th and 16^th and or May 27^th and 28^th – Together we can meet our goal to plant 23,000 plant species!

Sign up today!  See you in Louisiana!

Perdido Key Beach Mouse photo by Nicholas R. Holler, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

National Wildlife Federation’s Eliza Russell just emailed from Florida’s Perdido Key, where tomorrow, she and a group of volunteers will be preparing the dunes for nesting season.

This event is part of our Gulf Coast volunteer restoration effort to help wildlife and habitat impacted by the Gulf oil disaster.

What’s on the schedule for tomorrow’s volunteers?

“We are moving the dune boundary out about 5 to 8 feet to help the native grasses and habitat for nesting shore birds, turtles and a special species–the Perdido Key beach mouse,” she said.

In walking the area with the park host, Eliza heard about their need for help regaining more habitat.

Photo taken March 10, 2011 on Perdido Key, near NWF's dune restoration project.

“They are very grateful to be able to accomplish the re-posting and re-protecting of the dunes in a day,” she said. “The project usually takes them many weeks with their limited staff. This is really important, especially with nesting season just around the corner.”

Eliza also snapped a photo of a BP cleanup station (see right), still at work dredging and removing oil from the beach.

“We’re all very excited to help Perdido Key,” Eliza said. “This park and its neighbor parks needs our help. As do the wildlife.”

Read more about “The Nature of Perdido Key Beach Dune Habitat” >>

Saturday Update – 2:30 p.m.

From Eliza: “Forty-five volunteers–including 30 from Pensacola’s Naval Air Station–have rolled up their sleeves today to extend and rope off sand dunes along Perdido Key. More than 1 mile of posting was done by lunch. By 2 p.m., the next mile was almost done. The rangers are shocked be everyone’s dedication. Our long distance winners are a mother and daughter from Orlando (7 hours away). The dunes are almost ready for the incoming wave of shore birds and turtles. Lots of smiling faces doing hard work. That is what NWF does best!”

Find out how to volunteer with National Wildlife Federation’s Gulf Coast Restoration Effort >>

Volunteers traveled from as far as Cape Coral – 400 miles away – to roll up their sleeves and get to work!  Florida Wildlife Federation also joined us from Tallahassee to engage in the days activities and also had available a petition to sign for a constitutional amendment to prohibit oil and gas drilling in Florida’s near-shore waters.

NWF volunteers raking the soil and planting wiregrass seed

Engulfed in a faint familiar campfire aroma, Park Ranger Kevin Patton welcomed us to Bald Point State Park and introduced us to its complex ecosystems. Known as the “lightning capital of the world,” Florida frequently has natural wildfires.  Subsequently, Florida is home to many fire adapted and dependent species, and Kevin thoroughly explained the importance of prescribed burns at the park, informing us that, “wiregrass will only produce viable seed if you burn it through lightning season — May through July.”

Halfway through the day, we gathered for every volunteers’ favorite pastime – lunch!  We took the opportunity to cool down, fuel up and get to know one another on a personal level. During this time, we discovered amongst us a professor, a PhD student, a cave diver and a full time mom—and perhaps most remarkably, a couple married for over 48 years!

Hardworking couple Phil and Cecilia

Their tip for a long, healthy marriage?  Volunteer together as often as possible! Cecilia enlightened us, “Marriage is all about working towards a common goal. That’s the same attitude we have towards the volunteer work we do together. Why stay home and get old when we get out and make a difference?”

Park Ranger Kevin Patton with a box of wiregrass plugs ready to be planted

After lunch, our volunteers plowed full steam ahead, finishing the planting of more than 5,000 wiregrass plugs, exceeding the Park rangers’ expectation for the entire weekend!

While rain is seldom seen as a positive in the world of volunteerism, the overnight thunderstorms couldn’t have been better timed; watering our recently planted grass plugs, leaving us with the perfect conditions to lay down raw seeds. ‘No-see-ums’ (tiny biting bugs that can quickly become the bane of a volunteer’s existence) were out in full force, but that didn’t stop our hard working volunteers from showing up enthusiastic and ready to work on day two.

Marshland nearby kept us all alert as alligators and black bears call this land home.  Much time was spent discussing the hypothetical “what if’s?” and as the weekend was winding down, we were thrilled and relieved that our only encounter was with little spring peeper frogs. After the last grass plugs were planted, the last seed scattered and the last tuft of wiregrass trimmed, we spent time reflecting on the past two days.

Photo taken by volunteer Walter Pickel

As the sun set on our last day, we all left the park with an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and a greater knowledge of the local forest ecology.  In the end, we all had a better understanding of how our work fit into the larger restoration picture, and left with a well deserved (and gratifying) feeling of fatigue, which made our bug bites itch a bit less and the soreness in our legs a lot more tolerable.

Read this news article for additional details about our experience at Bald Point State Park!

Join NWF at our next event at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park or at a event later this spring! Learn more on the NWF website.

Oyster Reef Restoration Volunteer Event Jan. 2011

While most Americans were glued to their TV sets watching in horror as oil spewed into the Gulf, NWF was taking aggressive measures to raise awareness, demand sound science, and protect human health, wildlife, and fragile habitat.  As we approach the one year anniversary of the BP oil disaster, NWF is still working hard to ensure the health and growth of vital habitat.  

Our commitment to the Gulf continues through partnerships with various state parks along Florida’s coastline.  One week from today, our first event kicks off just south of Tallahassee in Bald Point State Park.

Photo courtesy of volunteer Eric Richards

Can’t dust off the Georgia boots in time?  We need volunteers throughout the month of March to assist with habitat restoration located in: 

• Bald Point State Park (Alligator Point, FL)

• Perdido Key State Park (Pensacola, FL)

• Topsail Hill Preserve State Park (Santa Rosa Beach, FL)

Keep checking back for more opportunities to volunteer this spring!   

So come join me and volunteers from near and far, in rolling up our sleeves to make a difference for nature and wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico.

NWF team in Venice, La. (May 2010)

TIME magazine recently named the Gulf oil disaster as America’s biggest news story of 2010. While the National Wildlife Federation will continue working to focus attention on the disaster and its impacts, as 2010 draws to a close, we also wanted to highlight some of the disaster’s unsung heroes – the people who donated their time, helped pull together resources, and in some cases even put their own careers on the line to make a difference.

This list isn’t meant to be comprehensive, but just a sampling of those who stepped up in a time of crisis – for every Dr. Ian MacDonald, there are hundreds of other scientists working to monitor the disaster’s impact and determine the best response.

It’s a small way of saying thanks to these friends of Gulf Coast’s people and wildlife:

Erin Kenny

The senior at New Jersey’s Toms River High School South organized a concert called Sea It Through, raising over $5,000 for NWF’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund. Hundreds of kids across the county like Erin helped raise not only funds to support resources for restoration, but awareness at the local level that we all share responsibility for helping the Gulf recover.

Ryan Lambert

The south Louisiana fishing and hunting guide traveled to Washington, DC to talk directly to members of Congress and their staff. Lambert focused not only about the impacts of the Gulf oil disaster, but how communities and ecosystems had already been weakened by coastal wetland erosion and Hurricane Katrina. “Now, with millions of gallons of oil entering this fragile ecosystem from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, never before has our national treasure been in more jeopardy than it is now,” Capt. Lambert told his audience on Capitol Hill.

Dr. Ian MacDonald

BP pushed a paradox in the early days of the Gulf oil gusher, both claiming there was “just no way to measure it” and that it was a preposterously-low 200,000 gallons a day. Instead of demanding an accurate figure, the federal government went along with BP’s smokescreen. But Dr. Ian MacDonald spoke out, saying that if BP couldn’t (or wouldn’t) measure the gusher, the scientific community would gladly help. Later, we learned the true figure might’ve been as high as 2.52 million gallons a day. The Florida State University oceanographer’s research also helped prove the BP oil continued lurking in the Gulf threatening wildlife long after the well was capped.

Diana Ferrell, volunteer with NWF's Gulf Surveillance Network

Diana Ferrell

Diana has been one of the top volunteers with NWF’s Gulf Surveillance Network. Long after BP declared the Gulf clean and started packing up, volunteers like Diana continued finding oil on Gulf beaches. In all, NWF’s volunteers conducted over 5,000 surveillance reports, in the heat, on the water and monitoring the coast line for all forms of wildlife. And wildlife advocates all across the country played a critical role in raising awareness of the unfolding disaster & demanding an effective response, submitting over 188,000 emails, phone calls and letters to the editor urging key administrative and legislative decision-makers to respond boldly. In one of the most effective examples, outcry from NWF members over BP’s apparent lack of concern for the fate of endangered sea turtles caught in its oil “burn boxes” led the federal government to direct BP to ensure trained wildlife professionals were on board their boats to conduct surveillance prior to burns.

Alyssa Milano & Keith Powell

Alyssa spent months asking her Twitter followers to donate to NWF’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund, answered phones and presented wildlife facts on CNN’s Gulf telethon, and issued this seductive challenge to the Old Spice Guy: “You must make a $100,000 donation to the National Wildlife Federations Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund. Are you strong enough?”

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Jealous” of all the attention Alyssa was lavishing on the Old Spice Guy, actor Keith Powell of 30 Rock fame tried to woo Alyssa away by making videos of his own focusing attention on the Gulf oil disaster. His efforts raised thousands of dollars for NWF’s Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund.

Jane Lyder testifies before National Commission on BP Spill, Sept. 2010 (Via Flickr's TalkMediaNews)

Jane Lyder

When Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal rushed to build sand berms in an attempt to block oil from coming ashore, the Interior Department’s deputy assistant secretary for fish, wildlife and parks raised concerns that, because sand dredging could damage already-eroding barrier islands, the berms could do more harm than good. Lyder found herself the victim of withering personal attacks from berm backers. But report from the BP spill commission just last week vindicated concerns from Lyder and others, saying the berms cost $220 million while stopping just 1,000 barrels of oil.

Bob Marshall

A Pulitzer Prize-winning outdoor writer, Bob Marshall of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has delivered some of the best reporting on the disaster’s impacts on coastal Louisiana. He’s also been willing to lend his voice to advocate for action, recently editorializing that Louisiana is being battered by an abusive relationship with Big Oil.

Rep. Ed Markey

The chair of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming demanded full transparency from BP and his efforts helped lead to live spill cam video becoming available to the public. Rep. Markey also fought for comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to respond to the disaster, improving safety to protect workers and wildlife and closing tax loopholes that benefit oil companies (unfortunately, the Senate has yet to follow suit).

Dr. Riki Ott & Patty Whitney

The devastation of the Exxon Valdez spill took years to fully reveal itself, with ripple effects still being felt today. Immediately after the disaster began, Dr. Riki Ott traveled to Louisiana to share Prince William Sound’s story and warn residents of the potential dangers ahead. Patty Whitney of Bayou Interfaith Shared Community Organizing was among those willing to stand up against Louisiana’s addiction to oil, telling the New York Times, “When is our government going to adapt to new energy sources that aren’t harmful to our environment and the people who depend upon the environment?”

The Gulf walrus

BP’s official response plan for oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico included references to “sea lions, seals, sea otters [and] walruses.” That revealed two things: That BP sloppily copied and pasted portions of its Gulf response from previous Arctic exploratory planning; and that regulators were so eager to green-light drilling that they never even read disaster response plans. The fictional Gulf walrus became a symbol of the clumsy rush to drill and calls to save the Gulf walrus provided brief moments of much-needed comic relief.

I could spend all day telling you about the great work done in the Gulf. Others who deserve recognition include:

• The National Wildlife Federation’s Dr. Doug Inkley, who worked tirelessly to communicate scientific information about threats to Gulf ecosystems in an easy-to-understand way
• Louisiana Wildlife Federation Executive Director Randy Lanctot, who championed of coastal Louisiana restoration long before the oil disaster & is working to keep it on the national agenda
• Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the only U.S. senator from the Gulf who warned of the possibility of a major oil disaster while steadfastly opposing expanded offshore oil & gas leasing
• Wyland, an accomplished painter, sculptor, photographer, writer &  SCUBA diver who was among the earliest & loudest national voices to raise concerns about long-term impacts to Gulf communities & ecosystems
• David Godfrey of the Sea Turtle Conservancy, who helped coordinate turtle nest relocation
• Cindy Dohner, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Southeast Regional Director who took the lead coordinating the initial FWS response
• Anne Thompson and Rachel Maddow of NBC News and Anderson Cooper of CNN, who spent countless hours deep in the heart of the communities most affected by the disaster
• Natalie Portman, Jack Johnson, Gloria Reuben, Ryan Theriot, Debi Mazar and countless other celebrities who used their star power to raise funds and awareness

Why are we highlighting all these unsung heroes now? Because while the Gulf oil disaster is fading from the national spotlight, its impacts will linger for years or even decades to come. The Gulf needs heroes now as much as ever.

To learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s response to the Gulf oil disaster and find out how you can help, visit NWF.org/OilSpill.

Even though it’s been more than seven months since the Deepwater Horizon sank off the coast of Louisiana, our volunteers remain vigilant!

As Dr. Doug Inkley, the National Wildlife Federation’s senior scientist who’s made multiple trips to the Gulf, has warned:

“The Exxon Valdez disaster was not simply one ecosystem earthquake – the aftershocks have continued to this day. What tremors are still to come in the Gulf?  The aftershocks of the Gulf oil disaster will continue to cast a long shadow of uncertainty on the Gulf ecosystem and the livelihoods of those who depend upon it for years to come.”

From the first days of the disaster, the National Wildlife Federation has had tremendous response from volunteers ready to locally engage.

It is crucial to gain accurate information and thanks to our volunteers we’ve been able to gain information on the exact locations of oil sightings, oiled wildlife, and more.

I look forward to my daily emails with dedicated volunteers, not just for the information they report but for their passion for their work.  Since reporting began, we have received thousands of pictures and stories as our volunteers observe areas in the Gulf.

Reporting from Mississippi, volunteer Eric Richards describes his experience:

“The area that I have observed is from the Mississippi coast out 12 miles and from the Alabama line westward approx. 25 miles.  I have learned more about the interdependencies between all marine life.   As far as the spill’s effects, there has been little VISIBLE damage seen in the area that I observe.  What I do not know is what has happened at the macro level.  These impacts may not be visible for months or years later. I feel that the observations are important by people like me who can help the scientific community zero in on areas that are showing changes over time.

“The most noticeable damage was a slug of oil that entered a 7 acre pond on Horn Island and affected approx. one acre of marsh grass.  I have been observing this spot since the contamination months ago and have been pleased to see that the marsh still appears to be healthy except for the oil stains.  Marine life is still plentiful in this area.”

To learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s response to the Gulf oil disaster, visit NWF.org/OilSpill. You can also sign up to stay informed about oil spill volunteer opportunities.

Check out our holiday deals that help support the National Wildlife Federation’s work to protect wildlife >>

Find out how to honor a wildlife gardener in your life with a gift certification.

If you know someone new to gardening, or who has already certified a habitat, you can boost that friend or family member’s efforts as well. Consider these gifts:

Plants and seeds: When parents and teachers launched the habitat project at my children’s school, it was a grassroots, small-budget affair. The first plants we added came from our own gardens. Cheers to seeds and transplants! Many flowers bloomed the first season.

Time: Sharing your love for gardening is an incredible gift. Whether it’s lending your neighbor a hand with a chore, helping with a restoration project or volunteering at a local garden, the contribution is meaningful.

Garden accessories: Man-made features can also enhance the wildlife value of a garden. A nesting box was added to the aforementioned schoolyard habitat, a gift from a teacher who is a birding enthusiast. Tree swallows took up residence the first year, eastern bluebirds the next—and students enjoyed up-close views of avian family life. It’s a gift that keeps on giving!

What’s your favorite garden gift?

Learn more about attracting wildlife to your garden and how to create a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat^® >>