The International Day for Biodiversity is one of the most relevant days in our calendar and it should be in yours too.
"The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats and biodiversity... that's all there is. That's the whole economy. That's where all the economic activity and jobs come from. These biological systems are the sustaining wealth of the world."
If you are a fan and avid supporter of one of the bigger carnivores, elephants, rhinos, panda bears, dolphins or whales is immaterial if the biological systems that support these charismatic creatures fail. The intricate, interrelated and codependent webs of life which form varied vital habitats that supply everything that is needed for the survival of each of these very different animals. Every plant, insect and organism plays its own specific role. Together they create biodiversity.
Each uniquely diverse habitat, in turn, contributes to a greater, global, biodiversity. They are what makes our planet so beautiful and rich in different forms of life and they are what makes it possible for all of us to survive.
Biodiversity is under threat all over the world due to global warming, pollution and human encroachment. Protecting what is left of our planet's biodiversity and wild habitats at all costs is the ultimate priority in protecting the beautiful and charismatic species of which we humans are so fond. We need to be concerned about the roles of all the small and less beguiling players who contribute towards the overall health of the system.
Whether it is a patch of flowering weeds in your garden that allows bees and insects to thrive or donating to an organisation involved in protecting one of the larger wild areas of the world, or both, it is in all of our interests to contribute towards building a shared future for all life.
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