The global population increased by 220,980 people every
day in 2009. In order to support this growth, the habitats of
animals and plants are increasingly altered or destroyed, leaving
'habitat islands' in a sea of deforestation. For example,
the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve near the centre of Singapore is only
1.64 square kilometres in size. However, it houses over 840 species
of flowering plants, and over 500 species of animals!
Our partner organisations are directly involved in practical
conservation activities that work to reinforce and safeguard these
natural havens. A recent project by Plant-A-Tree-Today Foundation
focused on restoring a degraded forest in Chiang Mai, Thailand. As
of 2nd February 2010, their reforestation target of 30,000 trees
had been succeeded and 48,000 new trees had been planted. The
maintenance of the forest is now in the hands of the local
community, who have been trained in adaptive management and
forest-friendly practices for income generation. PATT say the
project will reach over 5,000 families from 6 distinct ethnic
groups, from 10 different communities in the surrounding districts.
Clearly conservation is not solely about preserving nature; it is
also about enhancing local livelihoods, sustainable development,
enriching education, and strengthening communities.
All ecosystems operate at a delicate balance:
species provide resources for local communities, freely regulate
climate and hydrological systems, and play important roles in food
webs. New species are being found every day and many areas have not
yet been surveyed for the plants and animals they may contain.
Protected areas are therefore critical sources of genetic material,
and are increasingly important spaces for peace and recreation for
our growing population.
As E.O. Wilson said, 'life around us exceeds in complexity
and beauty anything else humanity is ever likely to
encounter'. Habitat destruction is one of the most important
factors in the global loss of biodiversity. Tropical areas contain
more species than anywhere else, and are often the most threatened
and in need of protection. For example, Ecuador and the US state of
Colorado are of similar size; Ecuador boasts approximately 393
species of frogs, whereas Colorado has seventeen. Worryingly, the
tropics also contain some of the world's poorest nations, who lack
the economic capacity to protect their rich biota.
But despite major challenges, with passion and
dedication anyone can have a positive impact. Banayas et
al. recently analysed the results of a wide range of ecosystem
restoration projects. Of the 89 places included, all consistently
showed improvements to ecosystem services following the
conservation actions that took place, and biodiversity increased by
an average of 44%.
You may not have the practical resources yourself to protect
these places, but Healthy Planet is here to help. Our Adopt a Plot
initiative supports carefully selected conservation projects
throughout the world.