Articles > 2010- United Nations Year of Biological Diversity
2010- United Nations Year of Biological Diversity

Written Mar 09 2010 by
Dear Friends:

2010 has officially been designated by the United Nations as the 
"Year of Biological Diversity". This very important designation by 
the world body will place a great deal of emphasis on sustaining and 
celebrating the diversity of life on our planet. Yes, we are a 
diverse planet with thousands of wonderful and important eco-systems 
filled with spectular and beautiful species. But ours is a 
fragile,threatened planet with close to 30,000 species going extinct 
each year. Habitat destruction, global warming, 
poaching, international trade in animal parts and population 
encrouchment are the leaders in our great loss of species worldwide 
and here at home.

Yes right here in Ventura County and in the region round us, we 
are faced with numerous species which are clearly on the brink. Our 
oceans,skies valleys,rivers and mountains are filled with a rich 
biodiversity...but it is an endangered biodiversity.

Our waters offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel are home 
to endangered sea otters,gray whales, blue whales and several 
species on the offshore islands are in a struggle to survive. As are 
numerous fish species which have been over fished to the point that 
they may not even recover.

Our skies are no longer filed with the magnificent California 
Condor, a species who habitat is now factured by energy operations 
in its historic feeding areas and a massive new city planned on the 
pristine Tejon Ranch property, one of the largest condor nesting 
habitats in north america. Tejon Ranch alone has close to 40 
endangered species on its massive 300,000 acres. Including the last 
remaining wild herd of Pronghorn Antelope in California.

One of the last remaining wetlands on the pacific coast....The 
Ormond Beach Wetlands , is as we speak being planned for a massive 
extension of the city of Oxnard.

The Los Padres National Forest to our north has a dwindling herd 
of endangered Bighorn Sheep as well as other species on the brink 
such as the Arroyo Toad found only along Sespe Creek. 27 other 
federally listed endangered species of plants and animals are found 
on the national forest.

Mountain lions, which once roamed freely in the santa monica 
mountains are now relegated to small plots of their historic range 
and may soon disappear completely from the mountain range. The 
massive oak woodlands which once dotted the open valleys in the 
santa monica mountains are quickly being turned into exclusive estate homes.

Saving species and their habitats from extinction is about 
disappearing polar bears....poached tusks of african 
elephants.....melting icecaps......worldwide drought....the 
commerical slaughter of whales....and the last red panda on 
earth. It is truly about saving a planet in peril and as goes our 
planet so goes ourselves.

I highly recommend reading the recently published book "100 
Heartbeats" by Jeff Corwin (October 2009)..to get a good idea of the 
importance of the race to save species from extinction. The "100 
Heartbeats" are those species on our planet with 100 or less 
individuals left. Powerful reading on an important issue.

It is up to each of us to make sure that the federal agencies 
charged with protecting wild species and wild lands do the job they 
are required to do under the federal endangered species act (ESA) the 
most powerful conservation act ever to pass congress,for if we 
don't............
Extinction is FOREVER

Bio-diversity...enjoy it...appreciate it...protect it.


Jim
Kindly written by Jim Hines
Tagged as united nations, year of biological diversity, extinction, threatened planet, loss of species, Ventura county, Santa Barbara channel, endangered sea otters, gray whales, blue whales
Written Mar 09 2010 by
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