Nature

Wildlife – Biodiversity – Creation – Ecology (the environment and processes happening in it)… All matter. Our life depends on Nature.

Populations of wild animals (mammals and birds) in the world have decreased by 73% in the last 50 years (WWF’s Oct 2024 Living Planet Report). Is this fair on the animals? Is this fair on our neighbours of the future, say 30 years, when the wild populations will have crashed further and species become extinct?

Want to do something positive? We would encourage you to

• Study one group of plants or animals – birds, flowers, insects, lichens.. geology.. whatever interests you. Go outside, get to know it.
• Raise money for conservation projects which save areas of world conservation importance. Support Green Christian “Rainforest Fund” project. Show other Christians in your church that caring for wildlife is vital.
• Actively campaign to save wildlife:-
  
  1. The Climate and Nature Bill– Write (and get your church to write) to your MP to support the Climate And Nature (CAN) bill. Our leaders will mostly only save wildlife if they think the electorate wants it.
  
  2. Planet over Profit: – End exploitation by big business.
  This is a Campaign supported by Friends of the Earth who say “together with the Corporate Justice Coalition, we’re part of the Good Business Matters  campaign, calling for a new UK law that requires companies to avoid harm to people and planet in their supply chains.”
  
  3. You may be interested in WildCard including the Rewild the church project – Some members of the Board have certain reservations about some aspects of Rewilding, but it is very useful for people to know about the Campaign.

Here are useful links to topics on Wildlife on Green Christian’s Website

1. The Climate And Nature Bill – Read to see what stage it is at now.
2. Why care for creation? – Andii Bowsher gives reflections and theology
3. Green Christian Rainforest Fund – gives vital facts, and ask for your support
4. Species extinctions – facts & review of Sean McDonagh’s book, printable as a  leaflet
5. Species extinctions – quotable facts & review of Fr Sean McDonagh’s book
6. What biodiversity & wildlife is in YOUR churchyard? & “Churches Count on Nature 2025”
7. Green Christian’s “Nature” leaflet Read, print & distribute this; Send for printed copies. It summarises many useful points.
8. Ten tips for eco-friendly gardening
9. Transform Your Backyard into an Eco-friendly Oasis

Keeping things in perspective:– Whilst a very few of our churchyards, gardens, parks etc are of high conservation importance, many of them (however much we love them) could relatively easily be replaced if they were destroyed. That is not to say we should not manage them to encourage wildlife and pollinating insects, and to take a lead in showing the rest of the world that care for nature is important.. There are some areas in the world that have habitats with rare species, some not yet identified, that cannot be replaced.

Biodiversity in the UK Overseas Territories (See this important report which is part of a larger report: The UK’s footprint on Global biodiversity Britain currently still has 14 overseas territories.

Around 90 per cent of the biodiversity for which the UK Government has responsibility resides in the UK Overseas Territories. The UKOTs are home to 94 per cent of British endemic species, 30 per cent of which are found on St Helena alone. 42 species previously indigenous to the present UKOTs are now considered to have gone extinct, including 3 since the year 2000.