Woodland © Mark Hamblin/2020VISION
The nature emergency
Our wildlife is in trouble. Recent decades have seen devastating declines in a wide variety of species, from moths to mammals, birds to wildflowers. The reasons for these declines are varied, but many can be linked to the actions of people, either directly or indirectly. This includes hunting, deforestation, pollution and changes in farming techniques.
A natural balance
Nature is full of balance. There are predators and prey, grasses and grazers. Healthy wild places have a natural harmony, maintained by the interactions between the plants, animals and other organisms that have evolved alongside each other.
Some species have more of an impact than others, such as top carnivores. Their actions have impacts that trickle down through foodchains and can even help shape their habitat around them. When species like these are lost, it can throw nature off balance.