How many people do not know what animals or species are native to your area or state? Probably many. This often occurs because you may live in an urban area or don't know what you are looking for. I want to spread awareness of live cameras so the public can better understand what to look for when you do have an opportunity to explore nature. I want to give people from Arizona an opportunity to learn about native species through an experience that feels natural for both the person and animal.

Live camera feed of animals is one way people can become connected to nature from the comfort of home. Covid lockdown created a time where connecting with nature became difficult. Kristen Weir (2020) wrote a paper on how nature impacts a person and the benefits of it. The article goes into all the details of how people are impacted by nature, but one main point is how it can increase happiness with even minimal contact with it. This article was created amidst the lockdown, when people were unable to gain the benefits of nature. Live camera feeds were something that brought nature back to us during this time. Even before the lockdown, live feeds were used to educate on Bald Eagle conservation and importance by having cameras on their nests for people to check in and feel involved in the process.

There are many uses for these feeds the general public could take advantage of. Earlier, it was mentioned how it creates a connection to nature from home. This was useful in times of pandemic, however, it could be useful for those who are disabled and are limited to places they can go. Many of us forget how privileged we are to leave the house whenever we get a yearning to. According to the CDC, "13.7% of people with a disability have a mobility disability." While this does not mean they can't access everything, it does create difficulties. There are also people with allergies or other similar medical conditions that make it hard for a person to enjoy the outdoors.

While this type of information is advertised for Arizona adults, they could share this information with their kids and educate them using these cams and information. I collaborated with an educator from Liberty High School in Peoria, Arizona, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss the opportunities this information could provide for teachers to share with students. I chose to speak with her because I have a connection to them through my partner to Liberty and I heard about their biology program teaching about native species and their importance. "We do sections over flora and fauna in Arizona to help educate kids on what they might see when they play outside. Having live cameras available to show them some of these animals in real time could really boost interest," she said when asked about how live cameras could be a useful tool for teachers. Many kids are naturally interested in the outdoors are really want to see some of the animals they learn about walking around or interacting with nature. There is also a special education program at Liberty that could benefit from these cams as well. The educator explained how it is difficult to find ways to engage these with nature due to disabilities. "You can't just take a wheel chair to Sedona," she said. These cameras could help those children see nature and experience some of these species, even with disabilities.

One great way to gain public attention to important conservation items, like live cameras, is to share information about them on social media. Hashtags are great ways to keep a topic going and gain more audience members because you can click on a hashtag and see all that has been posted using it. Below is what my post will say and the picture will be attached with my post.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, September 16). Disability impacts all of us infographic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 17, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts- all.html#:~:text=Percentage%20of%20adults%20with%20functional,difficulty%20walking%20or%20climbing%20stairs.

Schlanger, Z. (2016, July 23). Scientists are studying whether live cams of animals make us feel the same as watching them IRL. Newsweek. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://www.newsweek.com/do-animal-livecams-make-us-feel-same-watching-animals-irl- 481461#:~:text=Live%2Dstream%20cameras%20trained%20on,to%20observe%20animals%2024%2F7.

Weir, K. (2020, April 1). Nurtured by nature. Monitor on Psychology. Retrieved April 1, 2022, from https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured- nature#:~:text=In%20a%20review%20of%20the%20research%2C%20Gregory%20Bratman%2C%20PhD%2C,meaning%20and%20purpose%20in% 20life%2C