Carbon Offsets

CARBON OFFSETS AND REDUCING OUR ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

The Western Section of the Wildlife Society is proud to partner with Point Blue Conservation Science to offset the carbon and ecological footprint of the Santa Rosa 2015 Annual Meeting. Over the past several years, the Western Section has collected donations from meeting attendees with the proceeds being used to fund local restoration projects that will offset the carbon footprint of the annual meeting. This year, each meeting registration fee includes a $5 surcharge for carbon offsets and ecological karma.  TWS-WS will match this surcharge meaning that $10 per paid registration will be donated to Point Blue to conduct climate-smart habitat restoration in the North Bay Area and provide science education to students and community members.

Point Blue’s STRAW Program coordinates and sustains a network of teachers, students, restoration specialists and other community members to plan and implement watershed studies and restoration projects. STRAW’s watershed science education activities emphasize project based learning and offer an integrated learning experience for students to work together, connect to their local watershed, and be empowered by their actions.  Each year approximately 3,500 students participate in 50 restoration work days, often planting 4,500 native plants!

Some of the program’s goals include:

  • improved student science skills,
  • increased knowledge and stewardship of the local environment,
  • improved teacher capacity to teach environmental and climate-smart restoration concepts,
  • reconnected communities,
  • climate-smart conservation to help reduce the impacts of environmental change.

Watershed Restoration

Beyond conservation, beyond preservation, restoration is the new frontier that will reverse environmental decline and mankind’s isolation from nature.” ~David Donnenfield