Or, one nature lover's journey between hope and despair, and back again . . .
When I go out traipsing paths, when I am not taking a rare selfie (see above), I might be gazing skyward and admiring graceful Red kites (Milvus milvus). They are an almost guaranteed sight in the skies where I live.
Once upon a time, Red kites were a common sight in skies throughout these British isles. But, like other raptors, they suffered persecution, and throughout the 18th and 19th centuries they were driven to near-extinction. From being a bird that was a common sight in our skies, they became confined to mid-Wales only.
After around one-hundred years of careful efforts, they are proving to be a conservation success story. Pockets of populations throughout the country are growing, perhaps promising to become familiar in British skies once again.
Stories like these, are they a sign of other successes for the future?
This might be the point where I sigh, rub my eyes, and shake a weary head. As might other nature lovers, conservationists, or activists. To love the natural world is to know both how a heart can leap up, but also how it can ache . . .
For every success that advocates, activists, conservationists, and lovers of nature and wildlife can recount, there are a slew of statistics that hint at a much grimmer future.
For every effort made to plant new trees, there are ancient trees felled. Ancient trees which better capture and sequester carbon than newly planted trees will be able to do until they have reached maturity themselves.
Yes, when one reads that GCSE studies in natural history will be offered to students, it offers promise for the future. But, when the UK Conservation Red List reads with more than double the number of bird species – more species than ever before too – than it listed when the list was first compiled in 1996, should we stop and wonder, 'What sort of world will these naturalists of the future be left with?'
I am optimistic, and I try to do my bit. I wouldn't be here, writing out a blog about these things if I had given up. (Even if I am fairly sure only a handful of people will read it.) I give time to citizen science projects. I donate a little money when I can. I do the little that I do – nothing compared to the real activists – hoping that adversities can be overcome. That there is still time.
Maybe it's enough to just resist. To be the voices that call out the nonsensical and the downright harmful.
And when a Prime Minister can stand up at a conference and name nature/wildlife/conservation activists amongst those to whom she is opposed, it is damn well time to be one of those voices. To add your voice to the rebel yells.
Because, you know what, fuck them!
I know, it can be an uncomfortable dilemma, trying to do the right thing for this world and the life upon it, when you're trying to put food on the table and keep the lights on. But when we have pillaged and plundered this world of everything it has, any Plan B is not going to be as good as what we have. What we still, just about, have.
I find myself thinking of Easter Island and a civilisation that rose and fell. A civilisation that felled all of the trees and used up all resources. And, I wonder, is this planet just an Easter Island? A civilisation that will rise, worship itself through the ideologies it has created, and ultimately kill itself off as it uses those ideologies to justify destruction?
Human civilisation.
Human civilisation ?
And so, I sigh, and I rub my eyes, and I feel sad. But then I get angry. Which gives way to hope. Until I read some other statistic that pulls me down into sadness again. Then anger, triggered by some demonstration of ignorance. And hope, then despair . . . And on and on, ad nauseam.
Even some of the success stories are burdened with ignorance and outright myths.
As I look skyward, when I traipse muddy autumn countryside footpaths, gazing at graceful Red kites, feeling cold bite in places where summer heat drew sweat only weeks before, I recall ill-informed comments I have heard. "They can take your dogs! You have to be careful!"
Your average adult chihuahua (on average, 1.5kg – 3kg) is heavier than a Red kite (average weight of 1.1kg), and so, even if, for some desperate reason, a kite swooped down at a small dog, it would fail spectacularly in taking a dog.
These sorts of fears are usually fed by two things. The first are the salacious stories in newspapers, probably reported by some spooked but uneducated member of the public who had a close encounter with something clawed, fanged, or taloned. The other is hinted at in the first – the lack of education that allows myth and shocking newspaper headlines to fill in the gaps.
You see, it's a double sided thing, this awareness of nature, wildlife, and conservation efforts. The good and the bad, the light and the dark, the hope and the despair can be apparent all in the same scene.
A bird's flight can be a reminder of life restored, and the sheer hills and mountains still waiting to be climbed.
At the end of this piece, being a struggling, but hopeful writer, I am going to post a link to a site where those wishing to support struggling, but hopeful writers can buy me a coffee. But, you know, I recommend first that you consider supporting these worthy causes first, if not financially then perhaps with a little of your time:
This is just a handful that I suggest. If you disagree with specific goals or methods of any or all of these, there are alternatives. But read what they have to say, and see for yourself their methods before you dismiss them.
Yes, activists and protesters will use disruptive methods to relay their messages, but a non-disruptive protest is an almost pointless protest.
We can strive for change, or we can continue to sacrifice the natural world at the altars of economics and politics. But, do that, and sooner or later, all we have left is a corpse good for nothing but those that feed on death.
I recommend change, personally.
So, I hold onto hope.
As I said, I am going to ask for your support now – you can buy me a coffee here. But, maybe you don't think this rambling, rant of a piece deserves monetary reward. Fair enough.
In that case, is it good enough to share with your social media friends? Has it intrigued you enough that you might consider subscribing for other published postings? And, what about just liking the post – that takes a second and really helps me out!?
Wherever you go from here, if you made it this far, I thank you for coming this far with me.
Thank you. Sincerely.
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