Several studies have shown that currently more plants than ever are going extinct, and humans are the culprits. Plants are an important resource in our ecosystem whom without we would not survive. This is important to recognize because people’s actions on our environment can have a large-scale impact. Environmental stewardship refers to taking responsibility for the environment to improve its quality. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens values this and goes to great lengths in fostering it by educating their guests and instilling passion to the next generation, while simultaneously funding a wide variety of conservation efforts. I partnered with the zoo to help further educate their guests by creating a resourceful book that goes into detail about the different plant species they have in the Eastern section of their zoo. Over the course of 100 hours, I captured photos of more than 75 different plants and research them in depth to discover the scientific name, range, lifespan, height, classifications, habitat, and special interests of each. Once completed I organized the pages to create a comprehensible book that will make a more enjoyable experience for the zoo’s guests and ultimately promote nature conservation. It is time we all come together to help protect our environment and prevent more plants from extinction.
