WEST BRATTLEBORO-At no other time since its inception in 1970 has preserving what remains of the Earth been so urgent. Globally, since that first Earth Day, vertebrate wildlife populations have decreased by a staggering 73% with nearly 200 species gone extinct.
Heartbroken, I tried to fathom the enormity of the die-offs. For over 30 years, I and scores of others labored in conservation, yet we're losing animals by the billions. Feeling powerless, seeking ways to help at this late stage, I was overwhelmed by the number of appeals.
Locally, the prospect of Vermont's fragile natural resources being plundered and polluted is a very real possibility as well. Hastily erected, poorly sited construction may follow, only to be relocated downstream by the next series of super floods. And so goes Vermont.
Or not. Don't despair! There are two ways many of us can change this tragic trajectory.
First action: Join your regional land trust. They are an express-train solution to save all our flowers, ferns, critters, forests, fields, and streams in one fell swoop. Immediate, strategic, large-scale land conservation can preserve southeastern Vermont's natural beauty, drinking water, wildlife, agriculture, recreation, history, real estate values, and the all-important flood/drought/fire resilience.
We are fortunate to have the Green Mountain Conservancy - a full-service, nonprofit land trust with a solid foundation of supporters, stewards, partners, and patrons. Around here, families have a generations-long love for the land and opt to conserve it in perpetuity with GMC. This is the large-scale land conservation that helps ecological restoration begin.
Second action: Refrain from manicuring your property, and let Mother Nature nurture it for you. Allow the lawn to fill in, leave the leaves and snag trees, plant perennials, and give nature a safety net when passing through your yard.
By doing less, you will be part of the solution. The smaller your footprint, the better. A reduction in lawn scope lessens the amount of equipment, toxic chemicals, and fossil fuel.
Ultimately, your personal land-use practices combine and augment restoration ecology across the region. Simply put, your homestead is a critical link in protecting the last of our struggling flora and fauna.
Let's mark this Earth Day as the point where we forge full steam ahead to protect the water, air, and critters for our kids' future. If we don't act in a big way right now, imagine what the statistics in 2070 will be.
Karen Huber
West Brattleboro
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