This project has something for you whether your experience is with wildlife in a back yard, city birds downtown, or the more diverse wildlife of an acreage, farm, or wide open grassland. Wildlife is an important part of our everyday lives and an important key to understanding our environment. Wildlife brings us beauty and wonder as well as a learning window to nature. In addition, the health of wildlife populations can be an indicator of how healthy the environment is for us. Recent examples include cancer-fighting drugs from the Paw Paw and Pacific Yew trees, corn disease resistance from the wild grass teosinte, and creation of a high blood pressure medicine patterned after a snake venom.
Communities benefit from the money spent at stores, motels and other businesses.
You may have observed trends over the years of decreasing or increasing numbers of certain wildlife species. Some kinds of wildlife are doing quite well while others are declining. Often the sharp decline of the species we most enjoy is caused by habitat loss. If we want to continue to have desirable wildlife, we must plan for their habitat needs as we plan and decide about our human needs. In this program, you will learn that management for wildlife involves management of wildlife habitat and providing for the needs of wildlife.