Conservation Events
The GSC hosts events throughout the year for the Conservation Fund, which is used to support internal and field conservation efforts.
Our Mission: The Greensboro Science Center's conservation mission is to preserve species and habitats through on-site programs, community awareness, field studies and fundraising for local and global conservation efforts.
Our Vision: Conservation and preservation of animals and habitats can only be realized by altering individual habits and behaviors, and by working collaboratively with organizations, academics and governing bodies to better our environment.
The GSC hosts events throughout the year for the Conservation Fund, which is used to support internal and field conservation efforts.
Your small change is making a big difference!
Every time you visit the GSC, you are supporting wildlife conservation. Twenty-five cents of each admission ticket is allocated to conservation efforts. Upon entry, you will receive a token that allows you to cast a vote for 1 of 3 conservation projects. See below for current projects.
Galápagos Conservancy is the only U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated exclusively to the protection and restoration of the Galápagos Islands and its brilliant mosaic of life, including more than 2,000 species found nowhere else on Earth.
The International Tiger Project (ITP) is a not-for-profit project for tiger conservation, rainforest protection and local community partnerships, in order to protect and save the entire ecosystem and biodiversity of habitats shared by tigers. Run by The Orangutan Project (TOP) Board, ITP was formed to conserve the entire ecosystem of tigers in a holistic manner.
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve stretches across 110,000 acres of pristine mangrove forest, uplands and protected waters, encompassing 40% of Collier County, FL coastline. The Reserve is committed to preservation through research, education, and land protection.
The GSC protects native wildlife by providing habitats for species in need. All activity from these projects is documented and shared with global conservation organizations to better preserve our backyard wildlife.
Whether we are installing a garden or reinventing a nature trail, we couldn’t do our work without the use of our truck. But before the flowers bloom, we have to dig up the land and get a little dirty. Understanding that we are responsible for restoring the land we disturb is something the GSC and Extreme Terrain Clean Trail Project don’t take for granted. We are proud to be recipients of the Extreme Terrain Clean Trail Project.
The GSC supports the Piedmont Land Conservancy. Property throughout the Piedmont is protected and preserved in its natural state because of the work of the Conservancy. To learn more about Piedmont Land Conservancy and how to get involved, visit https://www.piedmontland.org/.
Invasive species are problematic around the world, but their effects are magnified on islands. Nearly half of our world’s threatened vertebrates live on islands and are endangered by invasive species. Mona Island, located off the coast of Puerto Rico, is home to the endemic and endangered Mona Rhinoceros iguana. From pine trees dropping needles that prohibit iguanas from building their nests, to feral pigs destroying the nests and habitat, to feral cats predating on the juveniles, this species is in need of protection. The GSC is helping Island Conservation, the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service save the species. Volunteers from Center for Conservation and Coastal Ecological Restoration: Vida Marina with Island Conservation staff have removed large amounts of pine needles from nesting habitats to allow the iguanas the opportunity to breed. The GSC has provided motion detecting field cameras for the island to monitor how the iguanas are using their restored habitats. The GSC research department and Island Conservation staff will work together to analyze the cameras’ content. To learn more about the project visit https://www.islandconservation.org/mona-island-puerto-rico/.
North Carolina is home to more than 60 species of freshwater mussels, and half of these are listed as endangered, threatened or of special concern within the state (source: http://ncwildlife.org/Learning/Species/Mollusks). These animals are an important indicator of water quality. Conservation partners throughout the state are working to protect and restore aquatic habitats and mussel populations in our waterways. The GSC houses the Eastern Creekshell mussel. This species is an ambassador for the many others in need of conservation, as mussels are the most imperiled group of animals in the world. In addition to the exhibit, GSC staff are working with the NCWRC to implement a field conservation project to help restore mussels. This project will invite local citizens to become more involved in their watersheds health.
Three bat detectors have been placed in the GSC’s zoo to investigate bat species presence and activity through the forest canopy year-round. The data are being collected as part of a long-term research study of bats in Greensboro and throughout North Carolina.
The Greensboro Science Center is a proud partner of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch® program to help consumers and businesses make ocean-friendly seafood choices.
Humans have depended on food from the oceans for thousands of years. But in recent decades, the health of the ocean has changed and the availability of healthy, sustainable fish is declining. Pollution, habitat destruction, and overfishing are placing our oceans’ fishes in trouble. But we can fix this and you can help.
What is Seafood Watch?
The vision of Seafood Watch is to help sustain wild, diverse and healthy ocean ecosystems that will exist long into the future. They encourage consumers and businesses to purchase seafood that is fished or farmed in ways that are sustainable. Seafood Watch uses science-based, peer reviewed methods to assess how fisheries and farmed seafood impact the environment and they provide recommendations indicating which items are ‘Best Choices,’ ‘Good Alternatives,’ and which ones to ‘Avoid.’
What You Can Do
You can help keep the ocean healthy by picking up a Seafood Watch guide at the GSC and by following Seafood Watch on Facebook and Twitter. You can also visit the Seafood Watch website for up-to-date recommendations on where to find ocean-friendly seafood.