Biodiversity - who cares?
My eight-year-old son does. He takes his bug catcher into our garden to collect insects to identify.
My teenager does. He helps collect rubbish when we walk on the beach.
My retired parents do. They help out at community plantings and are proud to show me the kererū which roosts on the power line behind their house.
My brother doesn't. He has a busy life which gets his full attention. Biodiversity is not on his radar. Should he care?
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. It is woven together in a large and complex net. This net is made of ecosystems, species and genetics. Humans are woven into this net.
The net supports life on earth providing oxygen, food, clean water and medicine.
The knots give strength and stability and help us cope during climate change and disease.
If a knot is cut it creates a hole in the net.
Earth is losing species at an alarming rate.
Currently scientists are recording a huge and sudden loss of insects. Insects pollinate plants, return nutrients to the earth and are food for many other forms of life. If we cut too many knots we risk unravelling it all, threatening our own wellbeing and the survival of many other species.
We don't know what the future will bring but biodiversity gives us an insurance policy to safeguard the survival of all life on earth.
The challenge of safeguarding biodiversity is big and more than a little scary but we are not alone.
In Taranaki we have a real opportunity as a region to come together and have a positive impact on our home. We can leave it in better health for future generations.
Taranaki people have a can do attitude, they are willing to get involved and they are passionate about what they do.
Visit our website and like our Facebook page, become part of Restore Taranaki to protect biodiversity and help keep our region alive.
I might even be able to convince my brother to join us at the next community planting!
Time running out to submit to EPA on Te Awamutu's waste-to-energy plant.