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Message from the President - Winter 2009
The United Nations (UN) has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity. Throughout the year, countless initiatives will be organized to disseminate information, promote the protection of biodiversity, and encourage organizations, institutions, companies and individuals to take direct action to reduce the constant loss of biological diversity worldwide. As noted by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) released in March 2005, human activities have taken the planet to the brink of a massive wave of species extinctions, further threatening our own well-being. The global situation is alarming as pressures on biodiversity have intensified. Increasing demand for agricultural land, food and energy places even greater pressures on natural systems. The International Year of Biodiversity aims to reverse this trend and bring the global community together to work towards solutions. Some of the objectives of this initiative are to raise awareness of the importance of conserving biodiversity for human well-being and promote understanding of the economic value of biodiversity; enhance public knowledge of the threats to biodiversity and means to conserve it; and engage an increasing number of people into action. While these are laudable goals that fall in line with those of the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), they fall short of one of WHC’s most important goals, to work to increase the amount of quality wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. In 2010, WHC, through its growing list of members and partners, will continue to emphasize that we can and must do our part to address the loss of habitat, increase our efforts to repair and protect wildlife habitat, and provide the most productive opportunities for the learner, young and old, to study biodiversity first-hand. WHC will also continue to stress the need for achieving sustainable, productive business, while meeting the growing needs to protect the biological integrity of the globe. In his keynote address at WHC’s 21st Annual Symposium, Evergreen: A Celebration of Conservation in a Changing World, Dr. Peter Raven indicated that there will be change in biodiversity, a fact that must be accepted. Furthermore, Dr. Raven said that we, as human beings, will determine the final composition of the biological diversity at its equilibrium; that only we can make it interesting and vibrant, or boring and less-productive. He stressed that the ground-level work companies are doing with WHC, employees and communities is a crucial part of the process to decrease the rates of biodiversity loss by changing culture, taking action and learning lessons. Although these are times during which the economy threatens the involvement of companies and landowners in biodiversity conservation, this was not apparent at WHC’s 21st Annual Symposium and Awards Banquet. In planning for the conference, we prepared ourselves for a smaller attendance than in previous years; instead, we welcomed more than 400 attendees. In 2009, 80 new, voluntary Wildlife at Work programs were accredited (about twice as many as our previous best), raising the total number of Wildlife at Work programs to 560. WHC’s Corporate Lands for Learning program registered 18 new programs, raising that total to 113. As we enter 2010, WHC’s goal is to continue to increase the number of landowners involved in wildlife habitat enhancement, conservation education and community engagement. Let’s celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity in a way that gives us the greatest confidence that we can and will alter the rate of species loss to ensure the planet’s rich biodiversity for future generations. Sincerely,
Robert Johnson |
