WHY IS NATURE SO IMPORTANT?

Biodiversity – Something that many are striving to protect and discover more about, but why?

Why is it so important?

Biodiversity is the pillar that supports a large range of ecosystem services – the benefits provided from our ecosystems that profit human well-being. These are separated into 4 main categories…

Provisioning Services – products like food, water, medicine and raw materials etc.

Regulating Services - processes that regulate climate, water, air, disease, extreme weather, erosion, etc.

Supporting Services - nutrient cycling, water cycling, photosynthesis, etc.

Cultural Services - mental and physical health benefits, spiritual and religious services, Aesthetic value, recreation, tourism, etc.

In other words; we depend on biodiversity for food security, health care, the air that we breath, the clothes on our back, and our general happiness to name just a few things that many of us take for granted. Whether you agree that we are already in the sixth mass extinction or not, it is evident that biodiversity is plummeting with many species becoming endangered or extinct. The reasons are a concoction of factors such as, habitat loss, overexploitation, invasive species and climate change but one thing is clear; it is happening at an alarming rate. For some, compassion for endangered species is enough of a reason to support wildlife conservation but others may be persuaded by the threat of what may be lost without it. The late 90s saw the value of ecosystems estimated as up to $54 trillion, surely such a sum is enough to rouse a sense of urgency to protect our ecosystems.

The Wild Importance blog will be my way of sharing my exploration of why its so important that we conserve biodiversity as well as how we can do that.

There is much talk of how society is losing its connection with the environment, My next blog post will further explore ‘cultural ecosystem services’ and why that connection is so imperative!

To learn more about ecosystem services I recommend reading ‘What Nature Does for Britain’ by Tony Juniper or visit Green Facts to learn more.

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