Walking through campus, students are accustomed to seeing squirrels, birds, bugs, native plants, and lots of life that is in constant movement. What students may not know is how to get involved in initiatives and programs that are designed to protect New Hampshire’s native wildlife. From volunteering at local sanctuaries to supporting global movements, here’s how you can take meaningful action to protect wildlife and their habitats.
There are programs like the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Pollinator Initiative. The Sustainability Institute has been taking a hands-on approach to the campus mission of creating a place for biodiversity and strong environments to flourish. Planting pollinator gardens is important for keeping pollinators like New Hampshire’s honey bees, different species of butterflies, Great Golden Digger Wasps, and Margined Calligrapher Flies. Planting native, but diverse, plants (flowers, shrubs, trees) helps to protect habitats for these pollinators who directly affect our food systems and ecosystems. This mission is part of the path to UNH’s Bee Campus Certification. Getting involved in the mission is easy; the Pollinator Initiative is eager for curious volunteers.
Another program, The Wildlife Society (TWS), serves as an overseas and international network of over 11,000 leaders in wildlife science, management and conservation. Their mission is to build resilient ecosystems where both people and wildlife thrive and coexist. TWS unites students, professionals, and anybody with care or interest in wildlife for their common mission of using science to advance the conservation of our wildlife species. Being a member of the student chapter of the Wildlife Society at UNH means you have the opportunity to work directly with faculty, wildlife professionals, and like-minded peers. The UNH student chapter of the Wildlife Society is located in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. Student membership links can be accessed here.
The New Hampshire Coverts Project allows students to get involved and train volunteers from any walk of life to promote wildlife and habitat conservation, and forest stewardship. The mission behind the project is to enhance, restore, and conserve habitat for the rich diversity of native wildlife in New Hampshire. The project aims to increase the amount of New Hampshire’s public and private land managed with a stewardship ethic while also engaging the local communities that affect this wildlife. The New Hampshire Covert Project wants to educate and create a body of people who truly care about N.H. wildlife, and who want to broaden the outreach. To get in contact with the program, email Haley Andreozzi, state specialist in wildlife conservation, [email protected].
Through the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the Wildlife Habitat Program ensures biodiversity is protected and nurtured by managing different land and water resources. By managing land for wildlife, the program conserves wild landscapes to sustain fish and other wildlife– these are animals that are vital to N.H. biodiversity. The researchers and people involved in the program ensure state lands provide a diversity of habitats that can house thousands of insects, hundreds of birds, amphibians, fish, reptiles and many mammals. @NHFishandGame on YouTube uploads videos of all of the program’s recent work, milestones, and other happenings toward the goal of protecting wildlife.
The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department has also set up a resource for anybody, such as landowners, foresters, wildlife enthusiasts, or people trying to get involved in their local wildlife, to be a part of a community of people who share their experiences and sightings of wildlife in New Hampshire. This resource is called New Hampshire Wildlife Sightings. Not only is this a great way to learn about the wildlife in N.H.’s local communities, it’s also a fantastic way to be involved in local wildlife movements. This website makes wildlife personal because it’s what happens in anybody’s backyard. Participating in wildlife sightings helps researchers keep an eye on species of interest, such as the American Toad, the Gray Treefrog, the Longtail Weasel, Black Bears, or even Bald Eagles. On the website, there is a full list of species of interest that researchers want to keep an eye on. The account is free to set up and once set up, there is a map of all the wildlife sightings in your area and an in-depth guide on how to report your own sightings.
UNH is one of Dirt to Trees to Wildlife (DTW)’s partners for groups online mapping tool that identifies potential forest types leading to wildlife habitats. The scientists and researchers who are involved in DTW research wildlife habitats based on characteristics of soils, and wildlife species that use the habitats for breeding. The mapping tool was developed by UNH’s Cooperative Extension and John Lanier, a wildlife biologist. Lanier’s research involves species on lists of greatest need of conservation, and the mission of DTW is to conserve these habitats and figure out why these habitats are so important to specific species using things such as dirt, trees and other wildlife. The website itself combines research from three scientific disciplines in order to inform the common eye of how habitats work and function. Though the tool doesn’t necessarily involve any hands-on work from volunteers, it provides important information that the website uses to educate its viewers.
The Nature Conservancy runs a program, called NH Volunteers for Nature, where anybody interested can volunteer and participate in the mission of tackling climate change, protecting oceans, lands, and freshwater, and providing food and water to habitats that need it. After filling out a volunteer form, you are updated with a monthly newsletter including all volunteer opportunities for the upcoming month. Some of these volunteer opportunities include planting trees in more urban, city settings, logging plant data for climate scientists, controlling invasive species and caring for native plant life, and many more opportunities in the Granite State. Besides New Hampshire, the Nature Conservancy has volunteer programs in Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin. On their website, there are volunteer stories about what kind of work the volunteers participate in, and their experiences working with N.H. Volunteers for Nature.
The Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire is a charitable, non-profit organization with the shared mission to enhance critical conservation programs throughout the state. The foundation is funded through N.H.’s Fish and Game Department but also relies on donations from people who care enough about wildlife and wildlife conservation to donate to the cause. The health of wildlife populations directly shows the state of the environment. It is dire to educate local N.H. residents on conservation and wildlife education. The foundation’s goal is to invest in N.H.’s wildlife so that future generations can continue to see the benefits of a thriving ecosystem and enjoy nature. To learn more about the foundation, you can visit their website or email ([email protected]).
Throughout all 10 counties in N.H., there are 40 wildlife sanctuaries owned by N.H. Audubon, the New Hampshire Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries. These sanctuaries remain open to the public and free of charge to visit, making them great locations to learn about and become involved in some of New Hampshire’s fascinating local wildlife. Between every sanctuary, there are more than 8,000 acres to preserve and conserve important wildlife habitats and create a great space for wildlife watching and education. The nature sanctuaries also have hiking trails for avid hikers looking to connect with nature. N.H. Audubon showcases a vast number of different wildlife management techniques while some are left to natural processes. The goal of the sanctuaries is to research and learn how to manage habitats, educate other people on N.H. wildlife, protect more land from urban development and ensure wildlife and natural heritage are protected. Becoming an active member in wildlife conservation can involve simply visiting one of these natural sanctuaries, or donating. Visit the N.H. Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary website for more information on the sanctuaries and donations!
UNH remains proactive in the conservation of wildlife and natural resources. One way the UNH population plays a role in this is by planting rain gardens. Rain gardens are shallow depressions that are specially designed to capture stormwater runoff after a rainstorm, snowstorm, or any storm involving precipitation, and allow it to slowly infiltrate into the soil. Walking behind Hamilton Smith, two rain gardens filter runoff from the large hill, stopping pollutants from reaching the stream. These deep gardens are planted usually alongside perennials, grasses or shrubs that can tolerate wet and dry conditions. This slower infiltration of storm runoff allows fewer pollutants to be filtered into our soil, which protects natural plants and in turn all wildlife. Rain gardens don’t have to be huge, they can be small, backyard rain gardens and still have an impact on our local ecosystems. On the UNH Rain Gardens Extension, there is a how-to guide on beneficially building your own rain garden. This is a simple yet powerful way to be an active member in the conservation of N.H. wildlife. For more information, contact Catherine Neal, a nursery and landscape horticulture state specialist, ([email protected]).
In order to cherish, preserve, and protect native N.H. wildlife and N.H.’s ecosystems, it’s important to find ways to get involved whether that be by planting a rain garden, finding ways to volunteer, or writing down wildlife sightings. Humans can make a difference, and it all starts locally.
