Resources for Learning and Action

We all can help to conserve our lakes and rivers, wildlife, and the other benefits of nature. Here are resources to help you learn about the issues and take action.

Backyard habitats

Bringing Nature Home
Garden for Wildlife
Landscaping with native plants
Native plant species guide
Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative
Pollinator planting guide
Sustainable landscaping tips
White-tailed deer management
YardMap

Urban ecological restoration

Biophilic Cities
Dark skies
The Nature of Cities
Re-Imagining Cleveland
Sustainable Cuyahoga Toolkit

Urban forestry

Best native trees to plant
Cleveland Tree Plan
Ohio Urban Forestry Program
Tree and woodland protection guide
Tree steward training

Water quality

Guide to water issues and groups in Northeast Ohio
Local government regulations for clean water
Ohio Balanced Growth Program
Natural stormwater solutions
Rain garden manual
Stormwater management benefits
Stormwater management guide
Stream and wetland protection guide
Tips for clean streams
Watershed Stewardship Center
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy water program

Agricultural practices

Citizen’s guide to stopping toxic algae
Nutrient best practices

Climate change adaptation

Adaptation resources
Central Appalachians Vulnerability Assessment
Climate change pressures in the 21st Century: Shifts in growing degree days, plant hardiness zones, and heat zones
Ohio climate adaptation strategies
Menu of adaptation strategies
National Climate Assessment

Land use planning

Best local land use practices
Vibrant NEO 2040

Conservation planning theory

Conservation by design
Convention on Biological Diversity
Ecological renovation
How much habitat is enough?
Incorporating climate change into systematic conservation planning
Mapping the conservation landscape
New conservation goals for preserving functioning natural systems
Systematic conservation planning

Model conservation plans

Chicago Wilderness Biodiversity Recovery Plan
Lake Erie Biodiversity Conservation Strategy
Ohio Wildlife Action Plan
New York Wildlife Action Plan
Pennsylvania Wildlife Action Plan
Vibrant NEO 2040
Wildlands and Woodlands: A vision for the New England landscape

Online tools

eBird
iNaturalist
iTree
Resilient land mapping tool
Species migration mapping tool