Don Mihalik Offers 6 Ways to Help Wildlife Conservation Efforts

Real estate professional Don Mihalik is passionate about improving our world, which is why he is active in wildlife conservation. He believes that everyone can play their part in aiding wildlife. 

Plant the Right Plants

One of the most enjoyable ways you can take action to support local wildlife is by choosing helpful plants. You can attract local butterflies and birds by researching native plants in your area that are beneficial for them.

Monarch butterflies are endangered. Their population decreased by 99.99% between 1980 and 2021. You can help them make their yearly journey by planting milkweed.

Clean Up and Shrink Your Yard

Eliminate trash, which poses a danger to wildlife, from your yard. You should also consider reducing the amount of lawn you have. Lawns are enjoyable for humans. However, animals need vegetation for food and shelter.

Even small changes like garden beds or container gardens can be helpful.

You should avoid removing natural materials like leaves when cleaning up your yard. Leaves, flower heads, and grasses provide shelter and food for local wildlife.

Reduce Pollution

Don Mihalik states that there are two types of pollution that you can reduce in your own home. Pesticides and fertilizers put toxic chemicals into the environment, which can harm wildlife.

Pesticides have been linked to cancer, neurotoxicity, and reproductive harm. It can also affect animals’ behavior. For example, birds can lose the ability to sing when exposed to pesticides. Altering their behavior can impact their ability to survive.

Avoid using pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers.

The other type of pollution you should be aware of is light pollution. Light exposure at night affects animals’ behavior. You can combat this by only using lights when necessary and drawing blinds at night. If security is a concern, consider installing motion-activated lights. These lights will only come on when needed.

Volunteer

Don Mihalik states that volunteering is also a great way to help protect animals. Volunteer efforts may include trash pickup, planting native species, and removing invasive species.

If there are no volunteer organizations in your area, consider starting one yourself. The easiest way to get started is to hold a trash cleanup at a local park or wildlife area.

Educate Yourself

Educating yourself is an often overlooked method of wildlife conservation. You can do this by learning about local wildlife and local environmental issues. You can also learn more about environmental and wildlife efforts around the world.

The more you know about wildlife, the more you will care about animals. Knowledge also helps you know how to best use your own resources to help the cause.

Use Your Voice

Don Mihalik says that this doesn’t have to be large-scale activism. It can be as simple as talking to your neighbor about the wildlife in your neighborhood or teaching friends and family about your favorite animals.

About

Don Mihalik is a real estate professional at Kolter Homes. He’s been with the company since 2019. His duties include educating customers and taking the time to understand their needs. He has won several awards, including NHC of the Year in 2020 and 2021. He also won the NHC of the Year Customer Satisfaction award in 2020.