The future of nature and wildlife . . .

 

Will cuckoo calls be heard in spring time fifty years from now? Will hedgehogs still be snuffling in gardens when our children are all grown up? What will the repercussions be for our grandchildren, for the pollution, for dumping of sewage in rivers and coastlines?

Even those casual naturalists must find it hard to avoid the facts and figures, those that demonstrate just how much nature and wildlife has been struggling to hold on. In 2021, more birds than ever before were added to the Red list of greatest conservation concern (www.rspb.org.uk). And, with seventy birds added to the Red list last year, the list is double the length it was when it was begun, in 1996, twenty-six years ago. That's not a long time. So, fifty years from now, will those birds still be flying overhead? Or, will it be empty and silent skies that meet the gazes of future generations?

It was also reported, in 2020, that a quarter of native British mammals are at risk of extinction. Animals that are synonymous with our natural landscape, the Red squirrel, the Water vole, Scottish wildcat, are all in danger of being lost (www.mammal.org.uk). 

However, there are success stories. Red kite, once common throughout Britain, were persecuted in the 18th and 19th centuries, driven to near extinction, but careful conservation efforts have seen them returning (www.theguardian.com/environment). At one time, they were confined to Wales, but they can now be seen in a number of areas around the UK, especially in Wales and the south of England. Here, in my home county of Bedfordshire, I see Kites often, gliding in the sky as I traipse public footpaths, or even in the centre of town. But, the success of Red kite reintroduction has taken almost one hundred years of careful conservation - to be sure, saving a species is no quick fix!

Predicting the future of our natural landscape, its health, the biodiversity, its richness, is difficult. For a long time, nature and wildlife has been fragmented, denied the spaces they need. The ways in which we have planned and built our infrastructure has been to the exclusion of the natural world. We have managed land with increasing intensity, driving away the habitat and vital corridors needed by nature. And that must change if nature is to survive. And the good news is that there are signs of that change, but it is just a beginning.

Those people from the past, the ones who cut down woodland, who burned fuels that poured smoke into the skies, that dumped effluence into the waters, that persecuted wildlife for conflicting with our own interests, they might be forgiven. For, it can be argued, they were limited in their knowledge and understanding. But, as the impact that we have had, that we continue to have, becomes more and more apparent, we must mend our ways. The proof that it is in how we treat nature which affects its wellbeing can be found in those sad figures, and the success stories; we can see that when we act without consideration the figures fall, but when we make the effort to give nature the spaces it requires, and support its needs, it can thrive.

Nature can be strong and resilient, but it can also be delicate. I have hope for our natural world, a hope that is driven by a personal love for it. But, even those that care little for the nature with which we share this planet must come to understand its importance. Ultimately, the health, well or ill, of nature is going to impact our lives. From the pollinators that do so much for our food production - for free! - to the weather and climate that is evidently already changing, we are still bound to nature and its processes.

We have proven that we are capable of great and terrible things. It is true that there is no other animal like us on this planet. But, rather than taking our position of power, our "dominion", to mean that we can exploit and cull as we see fit, for our own interests, what if we took it as a position of responsibility? What if, rather than having dominion, we were guardians of this world?

I don't know what the future holds. I expect that, unfortunately, there are children being born today who will not know birdsongs their parents knew, that our landscapes will change. Sadly, nature may, for a while yet, have to strive on in the pockets that we allow it to occupy. But I also have hope, because we have seen the successes, and there are good people out there, right now, who are doing what they can to resist. We still have a world worth fighting for, but the need to fight, unfortunately, still remains.

A few things we can do, with hope, for nature

• Write to your MP. If we want nature and wildlife to remain a part of the conversation, we must let those that we elect know we care, and that we need to see more done. Remember, they work for you! You can find your MP here.
• Write to your local planning authority. Remind them of, as they plan local builds and infrastructure, the importance of being inclusive of nature and wildlife. You can find your local planning authority here.
• Rewild the garden. Gardens in the UK, taken together, account for more green space than all of the nature reserves we have combined. That's an awful lot of space that could be used by birds, insects, mammals, plant life, and other of our nature and wildlife. If you and your neighbours get on board with a little rewilding, you might even find yourselves with a little nature corridor just outside your doors!
• Volunteer. If you have a local nature reserve nearby, consider donating a few hours of your time. They are vital spaces, and they can spark a love for nature in young visitors! A list of RSPB reserves can be found here, but there are many more out there to find!
• Share your passion. As I look around, I notice that many people with a love for nature share that love in many ways. There are photographers, poets, writers, painters . . . And when they share that passion, it can inspire love and care in others.

This is not an exhaustive list. Far from it. And I recommend looking for other ways in which you can help, because what is on this brief list might not be applicable to your own life at all. But there is something out there for you, and if we all did just a little bit it might add up to something great!

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