Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth. It is essential for sustaining the natural living systems or ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.
Humans are part of this biodiversity too and have the power to protect or destroy it. Currently, our activities are destroying biodiversity at alarming rates. These losses are irreversible, impoverish us all and damage the life support systems we rely on. But we can prevent them.
To highlight the fact that now is the time to act, 2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) by the United Nations.
In the UK – hosted by the National History Museum – there is a wide variety of projects to get involved in. You could, for example, take part in a nation-wide survey, either on bird spotting or finding out if our native species of ladybirds have been threatened by foreign invaders.
Otherwise build a bug hotel to help insects survive the cold months, or if you have a garden, dig for diversity and turn your green space into an oasis for plants and animals.
If you can only do one thing, take your pick from a huge list of pledge ideas. It would made a vast difference to biodiversity if everyone in the UK would do just one thing on the list. You could for example:
- Enjoy the seasons and the changes each month by going for a walk
- Don’t mow your lawn – an untidy garden encourages wildlife
- Become a beekeeper – join a local association and learn about bees
- Get close to some of the most exciting wildlife in Britain including spectacular red kites with the RSPB
- Learn how to identify 12 birds this year
- Go on a bat walk this summer with the Bat Conservation Trust
- Eat organic
For more ideas on how to make your 2010 a year of biodiversity click here.
Image: UNESCO
