Fiddleheads & Floss Writing Services (FFWS) is taking on a challenge. For wellness, for fitness, and for a good cause!

And by that…I mean ME. I’m doing it.

The Nature Conservancy 50-Mile Challenge for June 2024

The Nature Conservancy has invited me via FaceBook to join The Nature Conservancy 50-mile walking challenge for June 2024 as a fundraiser..and I love them.

So, I am on board.

I hope you will follow my journey and support The Nature Conservancy with your donations. No donation is too small.

If not…simply enjoy my updates over the month of June!

Today was the kickoff. I got up early today and had this wiped out before lunch:

Only 47.15 miles to go!

Here’s where you can contribute to The Nature Conservancy 50-mile Challenge. Or…join me!

What Is The Nature Conservancy?

The Nature Conservancy is an environmental organization whose primary objectives are to protect, preserve, and restore the Earth’s natural health.

This conservation organization began the way many environmental groups do – through the grassroots efforts of activists, scientists, and concerned citizens. Today, the organization is global and works to make a difference for us, for Earth’s wildlife, oceans, forests, soils, and atmosphere – and for our children and grandchildren.

Read our full set of goals for 2030 as we take on the climate and biodiversity crises.—The Nature Conservancy

As a degree-holder in Environmental Science, when I opened Fiddleheads & Floss Writing Services some five years ago (Wow! FFWS is FIVE!!) I began my writing career with a few core purposes:

• Earn a living (duh!)
• Help people – to live better, love better, feel better – with my work
• Change the way people appreciate & interact with the natural world
• Teach people about wellness through natural world experiences
• Make a difference for wildlife & botanical life

To that last point, until Amazon sadly ended the Amazon Smile program earlier last year, I was proud to have the World Wildlife Fund as my charity of choice. When people bought my books with my Amazon Smile link, part of the money went to the World Wildlife Fund.

Now, without that charitable program in place, I’ve been a little sad about that missing link in my promises-to-self about how I wanted to make an impact with my work.

So, when The Nature Conservancy – which likely has a chapter in your area! – prompted me to put my time, effort, and my feet into action, I said yes.

The Nature Conservancy‘s core initiatives align with mine. It makes me feel good to stay on the right side of our Earth’s issues. TNC uses science and activism to help the earth and people impacted by environmental issues.

Most of us agree environmental disasters are becoming more prevalent, often substantially affecting people of color, women, children, and wiping out over 10,000* wildlife species each year. Perhaps in our cities and neighborhoods we aren’t dependent on the wildlife, the fauna, and flora that lives around us, but for many places species loss means also that communities lose important commodities on which their economical, medicinal, agricultural, social (etc) structures are wholly based upon.

*That extinction rate is 1K-10K higher than the natural extinction rate according to WWF.

Monocultures take the place of vast Earth-sustaining biodiversity. The loss of biodiversity affects us all, whether we live just outside the depleting rainforests or half-way around the world.

While The Nature Conservancy works to combat climate change, reduce CO2 emissions, and protect our oceans, lands, and fresh water systems – I just want to use my platform in any way that I can to support those efforts.

Environmental issues affect my heart deeply. So this month, June 2024, I am walking 50 miles to show my support for TNC and the work they are doing. I’m doing this challenge as a way to remind myself each day of –fresh air! sunshine! wildlife! oceans! forests! – what we are all fighting for.

Fun Fact: I named my business after Earth (Fiddleheads) and our connections to it and each other (Floss/Red String Theory).

I hope you’ll enjoy my updates, smile for me, and if you are able, donate a dollar or two. Happy June everyone!

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Christina M. Ward is a best-selling poet and nature writer from the beautiful state of North Carolina. She studied Environmental Science and creative writing at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina, where she was awarded the 2004 Arrowhead Prose Award. Christina’s best-selling poetry collections can be purchased on Amazon.

Christina works as a full-time freelance SEO writer and editor. Her professional work has been featured in Today’s Health Science, LA Weekly, Village Voice, Men’s Journal, Long Island Press, OK! Magazine, cbdMD, and VEGAMOUR, among others. When she’s not working, you’ll find Christina writing poetry, cross-stitching, working out, or spending time in the great outdoors.

Thank you for reading Christina M. Ward here at Fiddleheads & Floss Writing Services.