How to Help Protect Biodiversity 1. Learn about biodiversity.

Learn all that you can about biodiversity and food issues. Learn about where your food comes from, including about how food is grown and raised around the world. Understanding biodiversity is important to understand how humans should live while respecting the Earths finite resources. Ways in which to do further research include: Visiting biodiversity websites; Asking teachers and lecturers about farming and biodiversity; Exploring natural and farming areas; and Using your five senses sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell to experience biodiversity and how it is integral to your life. 2. Be aware when shopping. Be informed in your choices when you go shopping. You can buy things that help to protect biodiversity. Individual choices on what you eat and buy are important: Whenever possible, choose healthy, local and sustainably produced foods; Seek foods that have little packaging; Check travel distances; the best food is food that has not been transported over long distances; and Buy products from companies that value the environment and people. Remember, companies will sell what people want to buy so tell companies that you want products that do not harm biodiversity! 3. Act. There are many ways that you can make a direct difference as an individual. Here are a few ideas on how you can act to protect biodiversity: Plant a tree. Make sure it is a local tree species and look after it; Keep nearby forests, woodlots, bush and riversides clean; Use, reuse or repair things until they are completely worn out; Do not use, eat or buy endangered species. Ask your family, friends, community members to avoid buying or using endangered species; Avoid using pesticides in family and community gardens; Use composting at home. The compost can be added to the family garden or the community garden; and Find out where and how your food is grown. Encourage your family to support local or sustainable farming. 4. Involve others as part of your class, club or local group. Once you have a better understanding of local biodiversity issues, it is time to take action. With your class, club or local conservation group, talk with your local government officials, local farmers and community members about biodiversity. Find out about local priorities for biodiversity and how your class, club or group can help. Together, you can decide if it is best to: Start a community biodiversity garden; Clean up a local wetland; and Teach community members about biodiversity and farming, or something else.

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Endangered species are species that are at risk of going extinct because they have low population numbers, threatened habitat areas, reduced food access or have been over-utilized by human beings for food, sport, personal decoration or medicine.

Anne Murray: Ten ways you can help protect biodiversity in 2010
1. Let the wild survive Cats and dogs make great pets but our treasured urban companions do not always mix well with nature. It is true that domestic cats eat mice, but they also kill millions of North American birds annually, as well as native shrews and voles. Loose-running dogs can harass and chase wildlife, exasperate bear-human interactions, and disturb ground-nesting and migratory birds. Shorebirds are particularly vulnerable to being chased, as they travel thousands of kilometres between breeding and wintering areas, and must eat and rest wherever they stop. The consequences of insufficient food and sleep are seldom seenthe birds just run out of energy mid-flight and perish when they drop into the sea. This year, let us ensure that pets do not threaten the life of any wild animal. 2. Eat right Tropical countries are hot spots for biodiversity (e.g., Colombia and Ecuador have over three times as many bird species as B.C., as well as hundreds of species of amphibians, reptiles, and mammals). By buying bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee, we ensure that habitats are maintained for wildlife as well as humans. Similarly, watch for small-garden, ethically-grown teas and spices on sale in the future. To protect marine biodiversity, choosing the right seafood and fish choices is key. Luckily the Sierra Club has a handy seafood guide with what to enjoy and what to avoid. 3. Support local growers Farm fields, fallow land, and hedgerows all provide wildlife habitat and this is particularly important in the Fraser estuary, where agricultural land was created by diking and draining vast areas of marshland. The wet, muddy fields in winter attract waterfowl and shorebirds, while crop residues and fields of winter wheat provide valuable food. Hedgerows and old fields are ideal habitat for a whole range of species, from Coopers hawks to Townsends voles. Agriculture can only stay viable as long as people support the farmers that work the land. So buying fresh, local, field-grown produce is good for biodiversity. 4. Protect your patch As demands on habitat increase and government budgets shrink, community vigilance is needed to protect existing green space. Keep a watch on municipal Web sites for rezoning applications and be prepared to speak at public hearings to protect your local patch. Volunteer stewardship is essential to ensure that habitat values are maintained in parks and protected areas, and watersheds, stream sides, and other valuable locations are not trashed. There are many programs looking for community volunteers, includingStreamkeepers, Ecological Reserve wardens, Important Bird Area caretakers, et cetera. Could this be the year you get involved? 5. Enhance a garden If you have a garden, yard, or a bit of green space, consider some habitat enhancement to encourage songbirds, hummingbirds, butterflies, dragonflies, and even small mammals. There are many ways to do this, including planting nectar-rich flowering plants and berry-bearing shrubs; providing water; growing an untidy, tangled shrubbery where wildlife can hide, rest, and nest; and putting up feeders. The reward for all the hard work is a garden alive with colour and movement. 6. Understand invasives A wide variety of plants and quite a few animals found in the Lower Mainland are non-native. Particularly aggressive invasives have a disruptive effect on local species, out-competing them for habitat and food. For example, bullfrogs were released after an unsuccessful attempt at culturing them for frog legs, and have been gobbling their way through wetland creatures ever since. Avoid

growing invasive plants and learn to recognize them if you want to participate in restoration work (native plants have sometimes been ripped out in error by well-meaning volunteers). 7. Reduce your family footprint We coexist on this finite planet with every other human and all of nature. This year we can resolve to limit our climate-change footprint and stop wasteful practices that impact fresh water, clean air, and fertile earth. 8. Enjoy ecotourism Hotel chains that destroy wildlife habitat and displace local communities to have the best ocean view are not doing their bit for the planet. Genuine ecotourism is travel that encourages the protection of wildlife populations and habitat, enhances nature viewing and cross-cultural contacts, and helps to spread wealth to local communities. Let the tourism business know your views. 9. Get wise One of the greatest delights of engaging with nature is that there is always more to learn. A walk in the wild is deeply refreshing and a great stress-reliever. Make your walk even more fun by acquiring binoculars and a field guide, keeping journals or blogs to chronicle your local wildlife, or teaming up with others for guided field trips or bird counts (e.g., the B.C. Breeding Bird Atlas or Christmas Bird Count). 10. Tell others Politicians and corporations need to know that we value biodiversity, so lets make sure we tell them, by writing letters and voting for nature-friendly candidates.