Passing the Buck . . . and the Doe and the Fawn
(ARA) - Sipping coffee on your back deck on a beautiful fall morning, you look up and gasp — there in your suburban oasis stands a small herd of deer. For a moment you pause, enchanted. An instant later, as the deer begin to munch on your landscape, you realize they’re just not as awestruck by the encounter as you are.
You don’t have to be a wildlife expert to know that after generations of dwelling in close proximity to humans, modern deer aren’t afraid of us anymore. What’s more, they no longer fear many of the traditional repellents some homeowners still use to protect shrubs, trees and landscaping. So when cool weather comes along and the natural landscape dies, deer have to start foraging for food sources. And they aren’t afraid to walk right into your yard and help themselves to your well-watered, well-established evergreens.
Even just a few deer can cause significant damage to your landscaping. “A single whitetail deer can consume, on average, 8 to 12 pounds of foliage a day,” says James Messina of Messina Wildlife Management. “In many areas of the country, deer overpopulation is a serious problem. With nowhere to go and not much left to eat in the dead of winter, deer can wreak havoc on shrubs, trees and gardens, and destroy new buds and leaves before they have a chance to grow, ruining your prospects for any spring growth.”
Hungry and bold, deer move into residential areas in the winter, and the damage they do in the cold weather will affect your landscape’s health next spring. Traditional animal repellents are also less effective than they were decades ago, Messina notes.
“That’s because those repellents rely on a bad smell — like the stench of a rotting carcass — to fool animals into thinking a predator’s kill is in the area and the predator may be returning for it,” he says. “But the number of predators has actually declined, and deer know it. They’re less afraid of predators, so relying on scare tactics has a greater tendency to fail over time.”
Some wildlife has also built up a resistance to chemical deterrents. Plus, increasingly eco-conscious homeowners prefer not to put potentially harmful chemicals into the environment. Other more lethal alternatives are not only inhumane but illegal in most parts of the country.
More homeowners are turning to organic alternatives, like Deer Stopper, a repellent formulated from plant extracts. This organic option works because it confronts deer by using their natural repulsion to certain plant smells and tastes rather than relying on fear.
“We know that deer will eat over 500 different types of plants,” Messina says. “Normally, they’re quite discriminating. But in fall and winter, when food is harder to find, they become less picky and much more of a threat to suburban landscapes. Still, like many wild animals, deer rely on taste and smell to judge if a food may be harmful to them. If your backyard foliage tastes or smells unpleasant to them, one bite and they’ll move on.”
An effective taste deterrent, Deer Stopper is 100 percent organic and completely safe for use on all types of plants — from vegetables to trees, flowers to shrubs. The Organic Materials Review Institute lists it as approved for use by organic growers. The smell- and taste-based technology also eliminates the need for a foul odor, so Deer Stopper actually smells good to humans. Lightly mist vegetation once a month, even during the cold and snowy winter to keep deer away all season long. To learn more, or to find retail locations, visit www.messinawildlife.com.
“In the early 1900s, there were probably only about half a million deer spread out over the country,” Messina says. “Today, there are more than 15 million. Deer, it turns out, adapt quite well to life in suburbia. Keeping them away from residential and commercial landscaping can help everyone — deer and homeowners — co-exist more happily together.”
Courtesy of ARAcontent
More American cities are passing green mandates - laws requiring builders to adhere to environmental standards.
(NewsUSA) - When Washington, D.C. passed its Green Building Act of 2006, a mandate stating that all new private real estate developments need to follow the LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental Design) standards set by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), it broke new ground. Building green became the new industry norm.
When builders “go green,” they erect efficient buildings that use fewer resources, improve indoor air health and minimize environmental impact. Cities have embraced green building to save energy, water and waste-management costs. From 2003 to 2007, the American cities with green building mandates grew from 22 to 92, a 418 percent increase.
How do buildings go green? The LEED system certifies buildings as silver, gold or platinum. Platinum buildings most closely follow the USGBC’s environmental standards, which look at location, water conservation, energy consumption, atmosphere, materials, indoor health quality, innovation and design.
A truly green building relies on a marriage between eco-friendly consumer products, like low-flow faucets, and renewable energy sources. Architects know to begin with sustainable building blocks -; choosing strong, energy-efficient building material can help ventilation and heating and cooling systems use less energy while improving indoor air quality.
For example, one company, Alternative Construction Technologies, Inc. (ACTech), has developed insulated structural panels made from 75 percent recycled materials. In tests, the ACTech panel system proves up to 65 percent more energy-efficient than traditional building materials. Buildings constructed using the system will waste less energy, so renewable energies, like wind and solar power, can be incorporated to optimize their intended economies and efficiencies.
The panels improve indoor air quality and acoustics. They are also firesafe and able to withstand hurricane-force winds, making them a safe building material in natural disaster-prone areas.
As American cities look to improve their carbon footprint, they must combine green materials with eco-friendly energy sources. Fourteen percent of U.S. cities with populations over 50,000 already have green building mandates, while another 36 cities plan to enact them.
For more information about the ACTech Panel System, visit www.actechpanel.com or call 1-800-859-8813. ACTech trades on the OTC Bulletin under ACCY.
Says it’s not calling for policy change
WASHINGTON - The Interior Department declared the polar bear a threatened species Wednesday because of the loss of Arctic sea ice but also cautioned that the decision should not be viewed as a path to address global warming.
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne cited dramatic declines in sea ice over the past three decades and projections of continued losses, meaning, he said, that the polar bear is a species likely to be in danger of extinction in the near future.
But Kempthorne said it would be “wholly inappropriate” to use the protection of the bear to reduce greenhouse gases or to broadly address climate change.
The Endangered Species Act “is not the right tool to set U.S. climate policy,” said Kempthorne, reflecting a view recently expressed by President Bush.
The department outlined a set of administrative actions and limits to how it planned to protect the bear with its new status so that it would not have wide-ranging adverse impact on economic activities from building power plants to oil and gas exploration.
“This listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting,” Kempthorne said. He said he had consulted with the White House on the decision, but “at no time was there ever a suggestion that this was not my decision.”
Melting may quicken
Kempthorne, at a news conference, was armed with slides and charts showing the dramatic decline in sea ice over the past 30 years and projections that the melting of ice — a key habitat for the bear — would continue and may even quicken.
He cited conclusions by department scientists that sea ice loss will likely result in two-thirds of the polar bears disappearing by mid-century.
The bear population across the Arctic from Alaska to Greenland doubled from about 12,000 to 25,000 since 1960, but he noted that scientists now predict a significant population decline. Studies last year by the U.S. Geological Survey suggested 15,000 bears would be lost in coming decades with those in the western Hudson Bay area of Alaska and Canada under the greatest stress.
But when asked how the bear will be afforded greater protection, Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, had difficulty coming up with examples.
Better management of bear habitat on shore and making sure bears aren’t threatened by people including hunters, more studies on bear population trends and their feeding habits were among the areas mentioned. “I don’t want to prejudge recommendations for management,” said Hall whose agency administers the Endangered Species Act.
Lawsuits likely
Environmentalists were already mapping out plans to file lawsuits challenging the restrictive measures outlined by Kempthorne.
Read More:News & Observer
RALEIGH, N.C. — Trees Across Raleigh, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the City of Raleigh’s appearance, fostering greater community pride, and promoting economic development by planting trees throughout the city, will sponsor “Spring Day in the Park” in Pullen Park on Saturday, March 29th starting at 9 a.m.
Organizers explained that the city’s current drought condition precludes its annual tree-planting event. Instead, volunteers will spread mulch to help the park’s existing trees withstand the dry conditions. Trees Across Raleigh will provide tools, gloves and refreshments.
Now in its 11th year, Trees Across Raleigh began in 1997 after Hurricane Fran destroyed so many of the city’s trees. The first planting project took place along Glenwood Avenue near Five Points to plant Chinese elms, oaks, and crape myrtles along the median from the Wade Avenue interchange north to The Circle.
Since then, over 3500 volunteers have planted more than 7000 trees in public rights-of-way, medians, and parks at a value of over $930,000.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
ARA) - The American dream is no longer contained by a white picket fence. The dream is now green, and it is embedded in homes and lifestyles.
Ninety percent of builders are incorporating green ideas into residential design and construction, a recent study by the National Association of Home Builders found. Homeowners have also begun to seek environmentally friendly classifications, such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification, for their new construction and remodel projects.
“Building green is red-hot right now,” says Paul Mackie of the Western Red Cedar Lumber Association. “Builders are continuing to find ways to make green look good, be cost-effective, and complement the style of a home.”
Whether it is improving the insulation, installing solar power, or using environmentally sound and durable materials, building green is firmly rooted in today’s construction approaches. Experts suggest planning, cost, design and materials are the most important green building considerations.
Planning
The first step to a successful remodel is planning. Homeowners should enlist help from committed professionals well-versed in green building techniques and able to navigate the subtleties of design and efficient heating, cooling and plumbing systems.
“The basics to building green include careful planning, efficient systems and environmentally friendly materials,” says Mike McDonald, an architect experienced in green design.
McDonald is building a LEED-certified house in Oakland, Calif. The home intentionally blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living. Western red cedar siding used on the porch continues into the house, fluidly transitioning from indoor to outdoor living, a green technique.
“The quality, richness and sustainable practices that Western red cedar providers are using helped me to decide to use that wood,” McDonald says.
Cost Conscious
Cost is always a concern during a remodeling project. The perception is that buying and building green is more expensive. That is not always the case. Prudent consumers weigh the long-term costs of operating their homes against the cost of upgrading and the resale benefits realized from home improvements.
High-quality, sustainable materials often last longer and improve a home’s design much more than thrifty alternatives. For example, some plastics or composites might be less expensive to purchase, but have shorter lifespan and greater environmental cost. Other options, like wood harvested from sustainable, certified forests, have far less environmental impact, offer natural beauty and long-lasting durability. Unlike all other building materials, wood stores carbon rather than releasing it into the environment. So using wood, rather than other material, significantly reduces a project’s carbon footprint.
“There is no other commonly used building material that requires less energy to produce than wood,” Mackie says. “Renewable and naturally insect- and decay-resistant wood, such as Western red cedar, is perfect for homes that deserve both elegance and environmental friendliness.”
Environmentally conscious design and high-quality materials typically save homeowners money over the long run through improved resale value, energy conservation and lower maintenance costs. And, when environmental costs are factored in, green building is often a homeowner’s best overall option.
Design
Smart design makes all the difference in green building projects. If done correctly, homeowners can expand their living space, lower their energy bills, and reduce their environmental impact.
Approaches are often simple. Passive design strategies that consider things like the shape and orientation of the home, the amount of natural lighting and use of alternative spaces can be immensely valuable in green building.
Outdoor living spaces, which provide cooking and living areas tempered by the climate and open to the outdoors, are one example. The environmental cost and the price of building an outdoor living space is less than building a traditional room because less building material is required.
“Outdoor living spaces are critical for quality of life,” McDonald says. “A beautifully designed outdoor space effectively increases the useable space of a home without using a large amount of building resources.”
Materials
Building green is all about selecting higher efficiency, lower impact, recycled or reused materials.
Green building materials are made using techniques that avoid chemicals and environmentally harmful manufacturing processes. Products to look for include recycled, durable and renewable materials, and those that require low off-gassing of harmful air emission (such as low VOC paints).
Wood is often preferred over exotic hardware or stone that is mined or manufactured using large amounts of energy and chemicals.
(ARA) - It’s been said it’s not easy being green – but in today’s business, it’s being said a lot. Everywhere you turn, there’s more about the “greening” of America. This is certainly true with American businesses striving to build new and remodeled offices to meet the latest sustainability standards and certifications.
One way to gauge the best in sustainable design, particularly when creating commercial interiors, is through LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). This green building rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) is the rating system for building tenants to certify their interiors are healthy, productive work environments.
LEED is used as a benchmark by architects and interior designers, real estate professionals, engineers and facility managers, landscape architects, construction managers, lenders and government officials to help transform the built environment into a more sustainable environment.
Keri Luly, stewardship coordinator at Allsteel, a leading contract office furniture manufacturer, noted that most building and interior “green” design concepts not only meet today’s changing requirements, but also make good business sense. “There’s no denying that cutting waste, reducing energy and conserving water is smart for everyone, whether it’s new or remodeled interior space,” she says. “Saving money and improving the environment at the same time – what’s not to like?”
“To achieve certification, there are many options to consider. It may mean using low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and cleaners to reduce indoor air pollution, or adding renewable energy and drought resistant plantings to demonstrate long-term commitment,” she continues.
According to the USGBC, LEED-CI, the rating system for commercial interiors, provides tenants with the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on their interiors’ performance. It uses a credit system to seek and establish a level of achievement, and based on number of points earned, can award one of four different levels of performance: certified, silver, gold and platinum.
Allsteel recently received LEED certification for three new office furniture showrooms in Atlanta, San Francisco and Santa Monica. Luly points out several of the LEED features it implemented during the design and construction process and notes that other businesses may take these into account when they pursue a similar path for their interiors.
* Site selection: If possible, locate facilities in densely populated areas near public transportation routes, discouraging individual car use.
* Local manufacturing: Purchase a significant percentage of materials from manufacturers within a 500-mile radius to improve the local economy and reduce the fossil fuels needed for long-haul trucking.
* Water-saving technologies: Choose plumbing fixtures carefully and install readily available water-saving technologies, such as flow restrictors in sinks, low-flow toilets and dual-flush valves. By using this practice, Allsteel showrooms have reduced water consumption beyond government conservation requirements for commercial construction.
* Construction waste recycling: It’s important to clarify during design and planning that waste materials separation is required during construction to make sure as much construction debris as possible can be diverted from landfills to recyclers.
* Indoor air quality: Develop an indoor air quality management plan for all phases of project construction and occupancy. Then use low VOC emitting carpeting and adhesives and conduct air flushing to remove any remaining air pollutants before occupancy.
* Energy savings: It is important to use energy-efficient mechanical systems and zoning, as well as Energy Star-rated appliances and equipment. Lighting power density can be reduced to save energy using motion and light sensors and automated shades whenever possible to maximize the use of natural light.
* Education: Allsteel’s new showrooms were designed to be used for environmental education and outreach, including innovative, interactive kiosks that allow visitors to learn about sustainable building and LEED. The kiosks also tell the company’s sustainability story and guide viewers through each individual showroom’s green features.
“One of the clearest ways to demonstrate commitment to sustainability is to design and build to LEED standards creating a healthier environment for both employees and visitors, while significantly minimizing the impact on the environment,” Luly says. “In addition, building to LEED standards can translate into both immediate and long-term cost savings, which can directly benefit the bottom line.”
For more information on USGBC and LEED, as well as “going green” with your building or office interior, visit www.usgbc.org. For more information on Allsteel and its commitment to sustainability, visit www.allsteeloffice.com/sustainability
CARY, N.C. — Sam DiFranco, CEO of Triangle Commercial, Inc., a full-service commercial real estate company based in Cary, announces today that Peter Pessetto, real estate advisor with the firm, will represent Triangle Soccer Development, Inc. (TSD Inc.) and Triangle Adult Soccer League (TASL) in acquiring land for a recreational athletic complex.
“I have played soccer for 30 years and have been an active member of the adult leagues since moving to the Triangle,” says Pessetto. “This is a cause that is near to my heart, and I am grateful to be in a position to use my professional expertise to guide these organizations through this process.”
TSD Inc. is searching for up to 25 acres of land in hopes of developing it into a recreational athletic complex with several illuminated fields, restrooms, walking trail, playground, small meeting/office space and other amenities that would draw interest from the community. Through their partnerships, TSD Inc. aims to provide additional options for hosting games, practices, tournaments, educational clinics, as well as lessen the high demand on existing venues.
“We’re excited about working with Peter and the Triangle Commercial team,” says Greg Luberecki, president of TSD Inc. “Their knowledge and expertise will be a key in finding the right location for our plans.”
For more information on commercial real estate in North Carolina, visit trianglecommercial.com.
About Triangle Commercial:
Formed in 2001 by Sam DiFranco and Ed Hoel, Triangle Commercial, Inc. specializes in consulting with buyers and tenants, providing them with creative and effective solutions for managing their space requirements. Based in Cary, N.C., Triangle Commercial offers services in investment property sales, tenant representation, buyer representation, 1031 exchange advisement, development property, dispositions and land selection, acquisition and development. Triangle Commercial’s in-depth understanding of market trends and expertise in analyzing real property proformas enables clients to make secure, educated decisions about the acquisition and disposition of property. For more information, visit TriangleCommercial.com.
Read More:CarolinaNewsWire
History of Yates Mill
Yates Mill served Wake County as a water-powered mill for more than 200 years. Of the 70 gristmills that once served Wake County, Yates Mill is the only one still standing. The water-powered gristmill was an important economic and social center for residents of Wake County from colonial times through the early 1900s. Gristmills provided the important service of grinding corn and wheat into meal and flour. In rural areas of North Carolina, before towns or crossroad-stores developed, gristmills served as public gathering places for scattered rural populations. Millponds were popular locations for fishing, swimming and picnicking. Yates Millpond is again a popular gathering place, as it once was in the past.
Samuel Pearson, the mill’s founder, is thought to have first moved to the Steep Hill Creek area in 1748. The earliest document related to Samuel Pearson and the land that now surrounds the mill dates to 1756. This document, a request for a land survey, appears to include the land where Samuel’s home stood. After this 1756 request for a land survey, Samuel Pearson received the land grant in 1761; however, no documents on file mention the mill until a 1778 survey specifically mentions it as already standing.
Samuel Pearson owned the mill until his death in 1802. In his will, he divided his land among his four sons, and intended the proceeds of the sale of his personal property to go to his six daughters. His son, Simon Pearson, received 340 acres of land that included the old mill. Because of debts owed to the State Bank of North Carolina, Simon Pearson was forced to sell his land, including the mill, in a sheriff’s sale in 1819. The sheriff sold the property for $3,031 to William Boylan, a prominent Raleigh businessman and director of the State Bank. Boylan established Raleigh’s first newspaper, The Raleigh Minerva, by the close of the 19th century; he later also established the Raleigh Advertiser. He also served on the commission to build a new state capital.
In order for the mill to continue as a successful business, Boylan made constant changes to the mill building and its operation. Architectural evidence shows that major renovations were likely made to the structure between 1820 and 1850. This most likely came in response to a flood in the early 1800s, which probably destroyed the original mill. However, despite that setback, Boylan had a sawmill operating at the mill by the 1840s.
Mr. Boylan owned the mill for 37 years. He sold it to John Primrose, Thomas H. Briggs and James Penny on June 30, 1853. In 1859, James Dodd bought Primrose’s share of the mill. Thomas H. Briggs was a prosperous Raleigh businessman who started a building materials business that continues today as Briggs Hardware. Briggs was Raleigh’s most influential post-Civil War businessman. Having wisely converted his Confederate currency into silver before the war’s conclusion, Briggs was one of the few North Carolinians with money to invest during Reconstruction.
On March 2, 1863, Penny, Dodd, and Briggs sold the mill and 94 surrounding acres to Phares and Roxanna Yates, James Penny’s son-in-law and daughter. James Penny’s possible involvement in the murder of Hinton Franklin may have prompted the sale. Local legend says Franklin was a northern sympathizer whom Penny reportedly killed for not paying a $700 mill debt. Franklin’s widow supposedly told Union troops that were occupying the Raleigh area in 1865 that her husband’s death was a result of his political beliefs. Allegedly, the troops tried to burn the mill by setting fire to the entrance porch. Charred wooden beams from the mill’s underside suggest possible evidence of the attempted burn. Court records show that Penny was tried for murder in December 1866 but was found not guilty.
Upon his death in 1902, Phares Yates left his real estate and the mill on Steep Hill Creek to his son, Robert E. Lee (R.E.L.) Yates, a math professor at North Carolina State College. R.E.L. Yates left the land and the mill to his wife, Minnie Johns Yates, when he passed away on December 28, 1937.
Ten years later, Minnie Yates and her son Wilbur sold the mill to the Trojan Sales Company, a subsidiary of A.E. Finley Associates. The title was later transferred to the North Carolina Equipment Company, another subsidiary of A.E. Finley Associates. A.E. Finley built a retreat lodge for use by his family and employees on the millpond. The mill continued operation until the 1950s, when it closed for lack of business.
North Carolina State University obtained title to the mill and the pond in 1963. The property was part of a 1,000-acre tract that was purchased for use by North Carolina State University Field Laboratory’s experimental farms and demonstration fields. Shortly after the University obtained the property, John Daniel Lea – the miller who had worked at the mill since 1898 – operated the mill for the last time as a demonstration.
After the mill shut down for business, it began to fall into disrepair. In 1989, the nonprofit group Yates Mill Associates (YMA) formed to preserve and restore the mill. In 1996, after stabilizing the mill building, YMA approached Wake County with a proposal to turn Yates Mill into a county park. Park planning between NC State, YMA, Wake County and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services began, and the Wake County Board of Commissioners approved the park’s master plan in 1997.
In 2001 N.C. State leased 157 acres to Wake County. In addition, Wake County bought 16 acres upstream and signed a memorandum of understanding with the N.C. Department of Agriculture for the development of hiking trails on 400 acres of land upstream from the pond.
Shortly after park planning began, Hurricane Fran breached the dam, drained the millpond, and caused the shed to collapse in the fall of 1996. The mill and its pond were badly damaged, but not beyond repair. Restoration of the mill and its grinding machinery was finally finished in 2005.
Construction of the visitor center for the park began in summer 2003, and was completed in April 2006. Historic Yates Mill County Park opened to the public May 20, 2006. Tours of Yates Mill are available to the public March through November, and corn-grinding demonstrations are offered the third weekend of each month during that time.
MILL OWNERSHIP
1750-1802, Samuel Pearson
1802-1819, Simon Pearson
1819-1853, William Boylan
1853-1859, John Primrose, Thomas Briggs, James Penny
1859-1863, James Dodd, Thomas Briggs, James Penny
1863-1902, Phares and Roxanna Yates
1902-1937, Robert E. Lee (R.E.L.) Yates
1937-1947, Minnie John Yates
1947, Trojan Sales Company/A.E. Finley Associates
1947-1963, NC Equipment Company/A.E. Finley Associates
1963-present, North Carolina State University (NCSU)
1989, Yates Mill Associates forms and begins mill restoration
1996, Park planning begins – NCSU and the N.C. Dept. of Agriculture agree to let Wake County use 558 acres for the park; Wake County purchased an additional 16-acre property upstream of the millpond
1999, Development of the 574-acre historic and environmental park begins
2006, Park (with the restored mill as its centerpiece) opens to public
SOURCE:Wake County Government
Garner NC City Guide Business Directory And Local Online Classifieds Ads
Located off Lake Wheeler Road five miles south of downtown Raleigh, Historic Yates Mill County Park features the only remaining gristmill in Wake County. The old mill on Steep Hill Creek that we today call Yates Mill has stood on its foundation since the 1750s, despite disasters including floods, hurricanes, war, and neglect. Today the mill is fully restored and operable. Yates Mill is located at the intersection of Lake Wheeler Road (SR 1371) and Penny Road (SR 1379).
Location:
Historic Yates Mill County Park [driving directions]
4620 Lake Wheeler Road
Raleigh, NC 27603
Contact Information:
Office: 919-856-6675
Fax: 919-856-6674
Park Hours:
Open 7 days per week, 8:00am to Sunset
The park is closed on:
-Thanksgiving Day
-Christmas Eve
-Christmas Day
-New Year’s Day
The A.E. Finley Center for Education and Research is open 7 days per week, 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Amenities:
- Restored gristmill
- Park center for education and research
- Numerous hiking trails
- Pond and boardwalks
- Outdoor classrooms
- Picnic tables
How You Can Help Save Amphibians from Extinction
(ARA) – At first, scientists were unsure why the frogs were disappearing. A stream would be flourishing with frogs and other amphibians, and then just a few months later they were gone. As rates of amphibian decline rapidly increased, a crisis began to unfold.
According to Amphibian Ark, a nonprofit coalition that rescues and protects threatened amphibian species, earth is facing one of the most significant mass extinctions since the disappearance of dinosaurs. Scientists believe that one-third to one-half of the planet’s 6,000 amphibian species – which have thrived for 360 million years – are in danger of extinction.
Why are so many species in danger? While habitat destruction is a serious threat, the most immediate cause of amphibian decline is a parasitic fungus called amphibian chytrid, a disease that is deadly to hundreds of species and has quickly spread from Africa across the rest of the planet. Chytrid fungus is currently unstoppable and untreatable in the wild, where it can kill 80 percent of amphibians within months. The World Conservation Union calls it the worst infectious disease ever recorded among vertebrates.
The world’s leading conservationists have joined together to form the Amphibian Ark to rescue the most endangered amphibian species that cannot be saved in the wild. The Amphibian Ark program will rescue priority endangered species and place them in “protective custody” in dedicated biosecure facilities at zoos, aquariums, and other institutions around the world for safekeeping, breeding, and ultimate repatriation – helping to ensure the long-term survival of amphibians.
Why Are Frogs Important?
Amphibians are indicators of environmental health and a vital part of the ecosystem. They play an important role in nature as both predator and prey, and they eat pest insects, benefiting agricultural health around the world and minimizing the spread of disease, including malaria. They also play an important role in human health. The skin of amphibians has substances that protect them from certain microbes and viruses, offering possible medical cures for a variety of human diseases, including AIDS.
2008 is “The Year of the Frog”
Non-profit coalition Amphibian Ark is kicking off the new year with a campaign called “2008 Year of the Frog,” to raise public awareness and funds to help avert the pending amphibian extinction crisis.
Clorox has joined this fight, helping to raise awareness, and most important, donating Clorox Regular-Bleach (R), to aid in the halt of the spread of chytrid fungus. Clorox Regular-Bleach (R), an EPA-registered fungicide, is one of the most important tools in Amphibian Ark’s fight to save the frogs. Frogs are treated with anti-fungal medicine and anything else that has contact with water during amphibian rescue is treated with a bleach solution, from boots and clothing to instruments and transport containers, to be sure researchers are not spreading the fungus to new, uncontaminated areas. When zoos and aquariums bring frogs that cannot be saved in the wild into protective custody, their enclosures are treated with a bleach solution daily for the first weeks to be sure they remain fungus-free.
Three Things You Can Do
Amphibians are a critical part of a healthy natural world. It will take everyone’s help to save these animals and protect them for future generations. The three tips below can be implemented at home to help you do your part to protect the environment – and amphibians.
1) Donate. Amphibian Ark is accepting donations and asking for global support to protect these important animals. Every person can play a role in the Year of the Frog.
2) Educate your family. Explaining to kids how amphibians and other animals play an important role in the earth’s delicate ecosystem is crucial. Teaching kids about the environment and the balance of nature will help them grow into responsible global citizens.
3) Restore natural areas in your community. Wildlife can often rebound, if given the opportunity. Volunteer to clean up wetlands and other areas in your community to help keep natural spaces near you healthy and pollution-free.
For more information on the amphibian crisis and how you can help, go to savethefrog.com.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
