My involvement with Species at Risk outreach

Two summers ago I was hired by the Robert Bateman Center as a Species at Risk Outreach facilitator. As part of this job my partner and I drove across BC together and worked long hours in unforgiving outdoor conditions so we could inform the public about species that are endangered in BC, the activities that are threatening these species, and the ways in which we can help. When I was learning about the major threats to endangered species (habitat loss, over-hunting/exploitation, invasive species, urban development, water loss...) I felt depressed and hopeless. One thing that surprised me, however, was the reaction of the public when they heard about these things. Many people didn't know about the severity of the situation, and as soon as they learned, the first question they asked was "what can we do to help them?". And that was an important realization for me, people do care and want to help, they just need to be given the chance. I am always looking for new initiatives, new platforms for change, and new inventions, ideas, or changes in social structures that could allow us to act. Now is the time to initiate change so we can start to heal the systems we have mindlessly exploited for so long and start to work with them in a sustainable manner.