Ecology Begins at Home

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You've finally arrived! Your life's dream has come true. You have your own back yard . . . or woodlot . . . or, maybe, even a "little place out in the country" where you can live just a bit closer to nature and a bit further from the Plastic Society.

Hey! Look at all the wildlife on your property: the birds singing in the trees, the squirrels jumping from branch to branch, the rabbits that live in the fence row, the moles and shrews which tunnel under the sod. Even the wildflowers, shrubs, grasses, and clovers growing on the plot (no matter how small that piece of land may be) take on a new significance when the property is yours.

Wouldn't it be great if you had some way to "work with" the natural flora and fauna on your land . . . to protect and improve it . . . use it to increase other people's awareness of the fragile environment in which we all live . . . to, in effect, create your own wildlife sanctuary.

Well there is a way to do exactly that! Thanks to an idea sponsored by a 45-year-old international non-profit environmental organization headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia . . . almost anyone, anywhere, can register almost any piece of property, of almost any size, as a personal wildlife sanctuary. The program—which is only a little over four years old—is already being used to protect more than 16,000 acres in ten states. (The smallest sanctuary is a 30 X 100-foot lot in New York City, and the largest encompasses 2,200 acres in Virginia.) How can you get in on this Good Thing too? And what will the program do for you and your piece of land?

Easy! All you have to do to become part of this program is sign a pledge stating that you will manage your land—no matter how big or how small the property might be—in a manner that protects and improves its natural flora and fauna. That's it. And I hasten to add that the signing of this statement in no way compromises your ownership or personal rights to your land. All—I repeat— all it does is put you on record as being a concerned property owner who is dedicated to the preservation of your land's native flora and fauna.

This simple act registers your property with the sponsoring organization and entitles you to assistance with any environmental problems or questions you may have. (Typical queries that the sponsoring organization has answered: How can I improve my land's habitat for squirrels and rabbits? What trees should we plant to provide food and shelter for birds?)

In addition, for $1.00 each (the only expense you'll incur in the whole program), you'll be furnished with as many attractive metal signs (stating that your property is a registered wildlife sanctuary) as you want.