Education is Conservation! This phrase will probably become a lot more frequently heard in the next few decades and although this may be considered good it could be due to the struggles our native wildlife will face, as we, the human race, develop our technology, build bigger housing developments and struggle to appreciate our marvelous wildlife. Consumption of fossil fuels (that I won't go into) and 'nature deficit disorder' is expected to increase dramatically in only a short amount of time.
Education
The British Wildlife Centre is one great project to supply us as the general public an insight into the lives of the wildlife we often don't see on an every day basis. The animals include a wide range of owls and mammals including the Scottish wildlife cat plus red squirrels. When people visit this centre or a zoo, they get excited, they Want to know more about the species they can see up close. Often these experiences start a life long passion for wildlife (youngsters) or are the catalyst to bring us back up to speed with our animal neighbours (Adults) “Come forth into the light of things, Let nature be your teacher.” William Wordsworth I was so excited to see a Forest School set up right on my own 'patch'. This is just one way that we are fighting back against nature deficit disorder and making sure the next generation is growing up with knowledge and experience of the great outdoors. Some people may argue that humans have an instinct to like nature and so we reap benefits of enjoying the fresh air once in a while, whether it be wetlands, farmland, heath-land, mountains, the sea or lakes and most common for most of us is parkland. |
Issues Faced in the Modern World Most local areas across the country are facing the problem of development of their local green patches whether it be farmland or the local field. Locally to me the college's ... .... is facing the development of 94 houses and a care home. What we have to understand is that wild areas are good for birds and mammals whilst housing and food is good for humans. This means we have to create the right balance but also encourage the planning application - if, it will inevitably go through - to include areas for wildlife and safe passages through gardens (hedgehog holes in fences are a great idea to put forward). In many areas, local people are always against development and the easiest path to blocking a big application is creating a stir in the community around the planning application and to create an action group. Many services nowadays are already overstretched such as local hospitals, GPs and schools, among this list are the wildlife trusts and organisations. Therefore - unfortunately - you mustn't rely on them coming to rescue and fight for the situation, so furthermore this is the exact moment citizen science plays a vital role. |
Citizen science is ''scientific research conducted, in whole or in part, by amateur or nonprofessional scientists''. So anyone of us can do a bit of citizen science and the chances are you may already have, a great example is the RSPB's Big garden bird watch or even a bioblitz which use the data to bring out new figures about certain species. Many species have been recorded as in decline across Britain, and although they are declining, some of the estimates are lower than reality as we have stopped as a nation on a whole recording them and sending in our records to big organisations. A classic example of this is that in my local area the stats show little numbers of magpies when in fact they are thriving, but due to the mentality that no one wants to know that I have one of Britain's most common birds in my back garden the records are mis-leading.
Earlier in the article I focused on technology contributing to nature deficit disorder, however technology has revolutionized the way we now record data as a biologist or wildlife enthusiast. One of the biggest contributors from technology in the wildlife world is camera traps. Although originally used for hunting, the camera trap - otherwise known as a trail cam - is now being used more and more for the study of wildlife, the cost has dramatically reduced and the results of leaving a camera out in the field for days on end is mind blowing to what one could achieve by hand. Miniature cameras in nest boxes has also allowed another insight into the secret worlds of Britain's wildlife, with just this year the first Puffin nest camera being installed.