Enjoyable family activities can have an impact on amphibian conservation and can create a ripple effect across generations. It can bring the common interest of conservation into your personal relationships. It can also make your family more environmentally conscientious and contribute to amphibian conservation all while having family fun! When you find yourself wondering, “What can we do today?” the answer may be as simple as painting a rock.
A campaign called Amphibian Conservation Rockstakes this idea head-on. This family-oriented campaign was introduced in 2018 by Trinity Favazza, an eleven-year-old with a passion for amphibian conservation and awareness. Trinity has found a unique way to bring families together using a fun and creative approach to spread the word about amphibian conservation. Finding a way to reach and impact the younger generation is the key to sustainability in a movement to protect our natural resources. This campaign brings families together with a simple, enjoyable and effective activity, and it toad-allyrocks!
The Amphibian Conservation Rockscampaign encourages families to paint amphibian-themed rocks together. It is an excellent activity for those days when the weather keeps you indoors. You can add simple information, such as a specific species status, a fact, or just a word like “conservation” to your rocks. Consider tying cards onto your rocks with more information if the mood strikes you.
The bottom line is to try to share your artistic creations along with some fun and interesting amphibian facts. This will inspire those who find your rocks to tell their families and friends about the cool rock they found! Seeing this painted rocks campaign becoming a trend with families can make for a huge leap forward in the future of amphibian conservation awareness!
The idea is to leave your painted rocks around your community for others to find, to remind them of our amphibian resources, to share information with family, and friends and to inspire others to do the same. You may even consider getting your local nature centers, zoos, and/or schools involved.
By Thomas Favazza