Continuing on our theme from last week.
If there was ever a better representation of the need for conservation, be it concerned with living things, ecosystems or energy, than the horrific current goings on in the Gulf of Mexico, I certainly haven’t seen it. I suspect that many nature bloggers have been, like me, watching with rapt revulsion at the oil “leak” gushing north of 200,000 gallons of crude (and that’s a conservative estimate) into the ocean from a reservoir 23,000 feet below the surface of the water with no end in sight.
It’s mind-numbing, but should the well be capped the hope is that we can treat this as a watershed moment for the conservation movement. If there is a such thing as a silver lining (and I admit to reeeeealy stretching this one) it’s that this is something we can build on with the right mentality. At least I hope sincerely something good can come out of something so completely awful.
In any case, we can be certain these conservation blogs will be getting the word out. Which, if nothing else, is a way for those of us who feel so helpless to do something.
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- Like trivia? Like animals? Have I got the blog for you! Fun Facts to Help Save Animals hosts a different species every day with fascinating little tidbits about life history and ecology.
- Biodiversity, rewilding, and activism. All tools the in the conservationist’s arsenal, and tenants of iWild, a blog by author Caroline Fraser.
- As a Carolinian, the Appalachians are near and dear to my heart, as they are to so many who’ve traveled those mountainous roads and watched the leaves change in the hollows. Appalachian Feet hails from western South Carolina and feels the rhythms of the area more than most.
- Conservation Seeding & Restoration is a company that establishes and restores native plants, which makes it slightly different than many non-commercial NBN blogs. But they do such cool and useful stuff, and they have a blog, I have no problem endorsing them. So, you know, if you need native plant work done. You know where to go.
- The Net Naturalist is the personal site of the National Wildlife Foundation’s social media coordinator. Professional blogging in a personal context. Can’t beat that.
- The Southeast is well known among herp enthusiasts for its great diversity. Needless to say, herps are among the first to show symptoms of ecosystems in trouble so their conservation is paramount. Alabama’s Partners in Amphibian and Reptiles Conservation gives you information on what conservationist’s are most concerned about.
- The incredible pace of development in Asia has conservationists rightly concerned. The key to making sure there are places for wildlife is making people care about protecting these special places. Blogs like Natura Gig in Malaysia fill a crucial role.
- Matthew Sarver’s The Modern Naturalist is precisely the sort of blog you’d expect from apublished writer and consultant. It’s a fantastic look at life and nature of the Mid-east coast.
- I’ve long been a cheerleader for environmental activism through birding. I’m sure just about any species of nature enthusiast find their own field to be the portal through which countless environmentalists are made, but for the purposes of this introduction it’s important since the site I’m building up to is Birding…The Next Generation.
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All great blogs, and all likely to make you feel a little better about the Earth in light of recent Gulf/oil situations. So check them out, for your mental health if nothing else!
Till next week!
