Today is Earth Day

22nd April is Earth Day.  

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on 22nd April to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events co-ordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 193 countries.

Martin Harper, the Global Conservation Director of the RSPB, wrote in his blog on 6th April 2020:

“Because, when the restrictions are lifted, there are some things which will not have changed.

The UK will still be one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.  The UK Government (and devolved administrations) will still have to introduce new policies, funding and laws to meet its commitment to restore nature in a generation and replace the losses from the past fifty years. It will still have responsibility to reduce its environmental footprint abroad, to save nature on its 14 Overseas Territories and to play a leadership role in addressing the ecological and climate emergency internationally.  And we shall remain a critical friend and partner in delivering that ambition.

The key principles of nature conservation still stand.  We will still need to provide more space for nature by delivering more, bigger, better and joined protected areas, by taking targeted action to recover threatened species and by reforming land and sea use so that we live in harmony with nature.  And we shall still need to wean ourselves off fossil fuels to prevent catastrophic climate change.

Nature will still provide huge benefits to people.  While the RSPB believes in the intrinsic value of nature, we know that people continue to benefit from a healthy natural environment.  The lockdown has brought this into sharp relief which is why we have been promoting ways to connect to wildlife to lift their spirits such as #BreakfastBirdwatch. It works for me.  My garden has been watched like never before and I am paying more attention to the returning migratory birds on my daily run round the common near home.  Nature still provides cultural and spiritual benefits as well as essential services such as flood management, carbon storage and the products we consume.  We shall still need nature based solutions to tackle some of our biggest societal challenges. 

In short, after this is over we shall still need to invest in nature.”

The RSPB have said today: 

“During these difficult times, nature has acted as our ally, offering critical support for our well-being.

Why do we find it so hard to show her the same?

If this year has taught us anything it is that our planet is more important than ever.

Let’s hear it for nature!”

💚🦆 🦉 🌼 🌳💚
Stay safe, stay well, stay strong, stay connected with nature