We want Guardian supporters to help us better understand the changes taking place in the natural world, and how we might combat the demise of some of the plants and creatures with whom we share the planet. Which local species of fauna and flora are disappearing from your local area? What is being done to preserve and protect them – and with how much success? Perhaps you work in conservation and would like to tell us about the work you’re doing, or are simply a nature enthusiast who cares about protecting a particular species. In this month’s episode, our panel will be responding to your questions on this subject, so we’d love you to get in touch, wherever you are in the world.
Guardian columnist George Monbiot recently wrote about the demise of many aspects of the natural world, citing a UN report that our use of natural resources has tripled in 40 years. The great expansion of mining, logging, meat production and industrial fishing is cleansing the planet of its wild places and natural wonders. What economists proclaim as progress, ecologists recognise as ruin. “Walking in the countryside or snorkelling in the sea”, he says, “is now as painful to me as an art lover would find visits to a gallery, if on every occasion another old master had been cut from its frame.”
The reaction to this piece and others by Monbiot demonstrates that this is a subject close to our readers’ hearts. But then, it always has been: the Guardian’s century-old column Country Diary, which looks at natural history and the countryside, has been a readers’ favourite since it began.
We have also looked at the uncertain fate of the much-loved puffin in places such as Scotland, Norway and Iceland. And even the impact of Brexit on seabirds and dolphins. We are committed to quality environment coverage, but with each generation, another aspect of our environment is lost, and preserving what came before becomes even more difficult.
In Trump’s America, a commitment to protecting endangered animals has been caught in the crosshairs of a drive by the president to increase industry – a move which many have described as short-term thinking at its worst. In his opinion piece on the topic, Andrew Rosenberg says: “Wolves, bears, sage grouse: these are animals of incredible beauty that enrich our ecological landscape. But other, less charismatic species, like burying beetles and freshwater mussels, are at risk too – all because their presence is inconvenient for some economic activities. Unfortunately, species are not just ‘nice to have’. They are part of living, breathing ecosystems.”
There is a slowly increasing awareness of the impact of human behaviour on the natural world. For some species, it sadly is too late to take action, and for others – endangered or at risk of becoming so – there is a lot of work to be done.
Please do get in touch, wherever you are in the world: we would like to hear your questions, views and experiences. To get involved, send an email to weneedtotalkabout@theguardian.com, including your question or comment, your name, and a phone number so we can call you to make a recording.
If you’d like to catch up with the podcast and previous discussions, you can do so at gu.com/talk-about.
