Every species that goes extinct due to human activity is another strike of an ax to a tree. Each individual strike may not seem like it has a large effect, but eventually, the tree will fall. We may not realize it, but we are continually chopping away at the large tree that is Earth's biodiversity. Every animal or plant that goes extinct may not seem like it has that large of an impact, but eventually our environment and the ecosystem we live in will not be able to sustain itself due to all of the missing pieces. Whether we acknowledge it or not, every species serves a purpose on this planet, each one with its own unique role that we are unable to fully understand or comprehend until that species is gone. Biodiversity is the infrastructure of which all life on Earth stands. We derive many valuable ecosystem services from wildlife and plant species, such as pollination from honeybees and other insects, erosion prevention from coastal wetlands, and carbon sequestration from our forests. However, every year, these services are becoming more threatened, meaning that we could lose the valuable resources that our environment provides. This is why it is important to protect endangered and threatened species. Our planet and the ecosystems within it are so immensely complex and intertwined, that when these plants and animals disappear, everyone suffers the consequences. Unfortunately, when some people hear this they become detached or dismissive, because they believe this will not affect them in their city or town. The hard truth is that, as I mentioned, we will all be impacted by the disappearance of important species on our planet. The air we breathe, the food we eat, and even the places we go to on vacation are all connected to the health of the environment. Nature is all around us whether we want to recognize it or not. Therefore, it is important for all of us to work together to protect it. The most effective and successful strategy in protecting endangered species, in my opinion, is education. If we can educate the public on the value of these species, especially in the communities that live near their habitats, then we can generate an abundance of momentum in regards to their conservation and protection. The more that people can understand the interconnectedness of our lives and the lives of these species, as well as the ecosystem as a whole, the more involved they will become and the more support they will have for the movement. I think it is especially vital to focus on educating the communities that live near these endangered species, as I mentioned, because they more than anybody understand the relationship that exists between them and the local wildlife. In terms of practical steps that we can take in a larger sense, I think policy reform is the most effective option. By supporting conservation laws, we can codify the protection of the habitats in which these species live, and it is a very well-known fact in wildlife conservation that habitat protection is the foundation of the field. If we do not protect the habitat, we might as well forget about the species. Before we can write these laws, however, we need to ensure that the affected communities understand the importance of the species and why we must protect them. For example, poaching is a problem that most people are aware of, and it is easy for someone to say that all poachers are terrible criminals who deserve the utmost punishment. However, most people do not recognize the problems that create poaching. Now I understand that some poachers are extremely violent and dangerous, but if we are going to solve the problem, we need to attack it at its source: poverty. A large number of poachers become who they are out of the necessity to feed and support their family. If we want to prevent them from poaching, we need to provide an alternative source of income, preferably one that is rooted in conservation, so that they will financially benefit from the presence of the animals that they poach. This is just a simple explanation of a very complex problem, but the main goal in conservation work is to make it community-based and to focus on the communities that are most impacted by the endangered species. My goal is not to convey this as an impossible-to-solve issue. In fact, each of us has our own responsibility and role in protecting vulnerable species and ecosystems. By simply planting a garden in our own backyard, we can provide a habitat for threatened native pollinators, which provide the infrastructure through which our diverse plant life is possible. This is just one of many simple actions we can take to protect these species, along with donating to reputable conservation organizations and staying engaged with local and state politics. And while these small tasks may not seem like they make much difference, just like the disappearance of an individual species, over time, they can change the world for the better.