| What you can do to help: People often want to help with conservation, but don't know what to do or feel that the issues are too big for them to do anything about. Here are some things you can do to contribute to the conservation of wildlife in East Africa. Go Visit! There are places in the world where tourism has reached a level where it is having a negative impact. Uganda is nowhere near that level, and they desperately need the revenue from tourism. 20% of park entrance fees go directly into local communities through a revenue-sharing program. This only works if people come to the park, and the more people that come, the more help it gives. Buy locally and support responsible tour operators. Visitors can have a big impact by choosing where to spend their money. By purchasing local crafts, you are giving the local people a reason to support the presence of the park and to help protect the animals and forests. You should also use tour operators that follow park rules and contribute some of their profits back into conservation of the areas and communities they visit. Learn about the environmental issues of your own place Š itÕs a global picture. We need to protect the environment around the world, since all of the earth's systems are connected. That means each of us can help the planet everywhere by protecting wild places near where we live. You can also plant native plants and trees in your own yard to provide necessary food for local wildlife and avoid using chemical fertilizers on your yard. Work to combat global warming. We each make hundreds of choices every day that have a positive or negative effect on the planet. Driving less, buying fuel-efficient cars, and insulating houses in cold climates all help to reduce people's impact on global warming. The changes in the world's climate will continue to cause devastating droughts and storms if we donÕt all work to replace forests and reduce our environmental impacts. Interact with the locals when you travel. Tell them why you came so far to see what's in their backyard. Studies show that this simple act can have a huge impact on their environmental attitudes and behaviors. It will also make the visit more satisfying and interesting for you. Learn how the economic and trade policies of your own country affect the developing world. The biggest threat to the environment in East Africa is poverty!! If you buy products from the developing world, look for products that are sold at Fair Trade prices and find out if your governments are putting unfair restrictions on products coming from Africa. Follow park rules when you visit a game park. They are in place for a reason. It may seem unimportant since the numbers of visitors are so low, but those numbers will hopefully increase. Driving off-track can prevent animals from hunting for food, or cause them stress that will use up energy they can't afford to lose. It can also kill vegetation, reducing the food that is available, and expose the soil to be dried by the sun and blown away by the wind. Litter can be eaten by animals and cause them to be sick or even kill them. Contribute to conservation organizations. Managing protected areas is very expensive. Most of the world's biodiversity exists in countries that can't afford proper education, health care and sanitation for their people, and they are often passing up opportunities to make money off the resources in these protected areas. It is not fair to expect these countries to bear the full cost of conservation. Supporting a global protected area system that would conserve most of the world's biodiversity would cost $13 billion per year. That amount equals about one-fifth of what Americans spend on soda each year. Think before you buy. We should not buy products that are made with wood from endangered trees or from old-growth forests. We should buy products made with recycled or organic materials whenever possible. We should not buy from companies that are doing great damage to the environment. This involves some research Š find out how or where products were made, and find out what companies have ethical business practices. What else do you think you can do? Come up with more ideas and share them with your friends! |