March 28, 2018
Help Spread the Word About Endangered Species and Biodiversity!
Join or Organize an Event this May!
Throughout May, wildlife refuges, aquaria, parks, botanic gardens, schools, libraries, museums, and community groups will hold tours, exhibits, classroom discussions, habitat restoration projects, children’s programs, field trips and other activities to raise awareness about endangered species and biological diversity.
Hundreds of events are held in the United States and around the world each year for Endangered Species Day and International Day for Biodiversity.
What is Endangered Species Day?
- Offers opportunities to participate in direct hands-on activities that help at-risk plants and wildlife
- Reminds us of the importance of protecting our threatened and imperiled species;
- Highlights the many stunning success stories of species recovery; and
- Promotes the everyday actions people can take to protect disappearing plants and wildlife and their remaining habitats
To join or help plan an Endangered Speciers Day event near you, see the
online event-finder. Event ideas include:
- Open houses (Botanic Gardens, Nature Centers, etc)
- Wildflower, forest and nature walks
- Pollinator garden planting with locally adapted native plants
- Rare plant habitat restoration
- Festivals (e.g. pollinator festivals, eco-festivals, wildflower shows)
For the 2017 Endangered Species Day
- More than 300 events were held throughout the U.S.
- More than 1,500 students entered the Youth Art Contest. (Finalist received an award plaque, a gift certificate for art supplies and an art lesson from Alice Tangerini, staff illustrator of the Department of Biology, Smithsonian Institution.)
- Events were held in 12 countries spanning six continents.
- 600+ media hits were recorded with a reach of 495,153,045 + 190,299,825 social media impressions.
- A successful Mayor proclamation/petitioning campaign.
The U.S. remains the only United Nations member not to participate in the global Convention on Biological Diversity. However, you can find out about IBD events around the world
here.
The theme of this year’s International Day for Biodiversity is "Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity". The theme was chosen to mark the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Biological Diversity and to highlight progress made in the achievement of its objectives at the national and global levels.
