April's Sponsored Nonprofit: National Wildlife Federation

“Uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world.”

About. The National Wildlife Federation, America's largest and most trusted conservation organization, works across the country to unite Americans from all walks of life in giving wildlife a voice. The NWF has been on the front lines for wildlife since 1936, fighting for the conservation values that are woven into the fabric of our nation's collective heritage. America’s experience with cherished landscapes and wildlife has helped define and shape our national character and identity for generations. Protecting these natural resources is a cause that has long united Americans from all walks of life and political stripes. To hunters, anglers, hikers, birders, wildlife watchers, boaters, climbers, campers, cyclists, gardeners, farmers, forest stewards, and other outdoor enthusiasts, this conservation ethic represents a sacred duty and obligation to protect and build upon our conservation heritage for the sake of wildlife, ourselves, our neighbors, and—most of all—for future generations. https://www.nwf.org/

Why ecobrands® supports the National Wildlife Federation. Growing up, every spring break, our parents would take us on a different sightseeing road trip in the Western United States. I’ll never forget when driving at dusk one day in Colorado, my dad had to bring the family rental van to a screeching halt because all traffic was stopped in both directions to let a large herd of wild elk slowly meander across the highway, without a care in the world. My eyes were wide and my jaw dropped as dozens of cars and trucks sat stopped on the otherwise fast-moving highway to let these huge, beautiful animals cross. This simple experience when I was just 8 years old was so influential that my Dad and I frequently reminisced about it decades later. I didn’t realize it at the time, but from that moment on, every time I am out in nature, my eyes and ears are peeled for the chance to see wildlife. As an adult, whether I am in the backwaters of Tampa Bay, scuba diving in the Caribbean, or hiking in the mountains, I use wildlife sightings as a sort of barometer for the health of the natural places that I love. Nothing is more gratifying and encouraging than seeing a black bear in my Dad’s front yard in North Carolina, deer eating peacefully in a green meadow, or a coral reef teeming with fish as a sea turtle glides by. If seeing the innocence of wildlife in its pristine natural element doesn’t stir your emotions like it does mine, you should pinch yourself hard because you might not actually be alive. The NWF works hard to protect the natural places and wildlife that we simply cannot live without, which is why they are one of our favorite environmental nonprofits.

Our Sponsorship. At the end of every April, ecobrands® donates 10% of its monthly profit from all brands to the National Wildlife Federation.

NWF’s Recent Accomplishments. NWF’s guiding principle is that when you protect wildlife and allow it to thrive, everything else around it tends to thrive, including the environment and people. Guided by this principle, here are just some of the NWF’s recent accomplishments:

• Helped protect the Great Lakes from invasive species to help sustain native fish species that all people rely upon for food and outdoor recreation.
• Established an agreement with a ranching family to cancel its grazing permits on ten large high-elevation grazing allotments in the San Juan Mountain range of southwestern Colorado for the purpose of restoring the population of wild Bighorn Sheep.
• Partnered with the organization Working Circle to reduce possible conflict between newly-introduced red wolves and livestock in North Park, Colorado. Working with ranchers and landowners across the state, the NWF developed sustainable solutions that will help both wolves and communities coexist and thrive. 
• Worked to change the rules in the National Environmental Policy Act so that major federal government decisions consider the impact on all wildlife and all communities. The new rule would ensure that impacts on every affected community are considered before federal decisions are made and that environmental justice concerns are front and center in major federal actions affecting the environment.
• Advised decision-makers and advocated for the important details that will shape the emerging Wind Power industry and its implications on wildlife.
• Established a coalition working to support black landowners, professionals, and students in the restoration of longleaf pines throughout the southeast.
• Advocated for stronger regulations that will build equity considerations into regulatory reviews and administrative processes. The priorities of communities and Indigenous Peoples will now be considered in energy-related programs, including infrastructure permitting processes.

For more information on the recent accomplishments of NWF, please visit: https://impact.nwf.org/2023/.

As always, thank you sincerely for reading. I wish you all the best on your path to sustainable living, as I continue on my own!