Conserving biodiversity
If earth’s age was shortened to an hour, humans would be around for only two seconds, says SHAILEE SHARMA
What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare?
No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows
No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.
No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.
A poor life this, if full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.
What a beautiful representation of biodiversity by William Davies. Of course, he speaks of time, or rather the lack of it, but doesn’t this strain make you want to spend that one holiday a year, amidst nature?
The year 2010 was declared the International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms, within a given ecosystem, biome or an entire planet. The United Nation’s World Tourism Organisation defines tourism as movement away from one’s place of work or residence, for a period not less than 24 hours, and not more than a year.
It is the perfect amalgamation of tourism and biodiversity, that allows us the luxury of various avatars of tourism such as ecotourism or ecological tourism – responsible travel to fragile, pristine and usually protected areas where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are primary attractions, Wildlife tourism – eco and animal-friendly tourism, usually showing animals in their natural habitats, adventure tourism that involves two components – cultural exchange or interaction and engagement with nature, and hinterland tourism – that to a land or district behind the borders of a coast or river, but specifically the inland region behind a port.
All of these forms of tourism provide us with a feeling of being one with nature. Mountain biking, river trekking, snorkelling and underwater diving are thrilling to some, and wildlife safaris excite others. But to some, just waking up in the midst of a forest to the sounds of chirping birds and little beams of sunlight, pouring in through the canopy of trees above, is quite refreshing. It is none other than biodiversity that gives us these wonderful deviations, from our everyday, stressful, lives.
Mother Nature is helping us heal, but are we the virus that is infecting her boon of biodiversity, with the incurable disease of destruction? Growth in human population along with travel made easy, greater knowledge of tourism and the increasing affluence of the people, has had more impact on biodiversity in tourist destinations, than any other single factor. Other factors too, such as greedy and irresponsible operators, over hunting and over fishing and the ever increasing problem of pollution, are all direct results of a greater influx of tourists.
However, today, the awareness of biodiversity that leads to the development of such tourist destinations, indeed, contributes to tourism nurturing biodiversity. These habitats in the form of wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and biosphere reserves are conserved and protected from over-exploitation so as to sustain them for the tourism industry.
It is now up to us, the able race, to conserve biodiversity, in conjunction with responsible tourism. Biodiversity and tourism, today, form a symbiotic system, that obligates us to care for and, preserve biodiversity, to ensure the future continuance of tourism, travel and therefore, the hospitality industries.
The Economic Times on 20 Sept carried the headline “Environmental nod for Navi Mumbai airport likely by October.” The airport project has been embroiled in controversy following strong objections by the Environment ministry, which has opposed the destruction of a large area of mangroves, diversion of two rivers in the area and the flattening of a hillock, to make way for the runway. Many other newspapers also of today’s responsible urban society, print various headlines such as “Urban Sprawl: The Big Picture,” “Threats to Biodiversity Rise in World’s Mediterranean Climate Region” and “Make Biodiversity Education a Part of School Curriculum.”
The year 2010 was declared the International Year of Biodiversity. Biodiversity refers to the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes, in which they occur. Today’s biodiversity is the result of 3.5 billion years of evolution. But are we leading it all up to extinction?
Biodiversity today, is in grave danger. Or is it? The massive growth in human population through the 20th century, has had more impact on biodiversity than any other single factor, is what most believe. But several other factors also do pose major threat to biodiversity, today. Extinction is a natural event, and from the geological perspective, routine. Most species that have ever inhabited mother earth have either gone extinct, having served their time on earth or in episodes of mass extinction. Invasion of non-native species too, is an important and often overlooked cause of extinction. For example, the establishment of the nile perch, an exotic species of freshwater fish, in Lake Victoria in Africa may cause the extinction of most indigenous species there, by simply eating them all. However, when two or more species are highly interdependent, the removal of one species or the addition of another, affects the entire biological disposition. This is the Domino Effect – a result of either extinction or invasion. The expansive destruction of mangroves, a growing concern, is an important example of foreign invasion, leading to degradation and loss of habitat. Several human activities also, such as pollution from chemical contaminants leading to climate change and habitat damage of even marine life and over hunting and over fishing, are indirect or direct threats to biodiversity.
The airport issue is being worked hard at to resolve all possible problems and find a suitable solution. CIDCO had been asked to do some tweaking of plans, so that there is minimum effect on environment. Non-aeronautical assets, such as hotels, will have to be constructed along with the airport terminal and two runways, while not changing the basic location of the airport. The required changes have been carefully engineered and the project is now expected to be passed soon.
But is biodiversity or threats to it, really such a big concern? The average lifetime granted to any species on earth, is always only about 1 million years anyway. And are we humans, a mere speck on Earth’s geological clock, really creating as much havoc as we deem ourselves to be? If so, then why did evolution occur even before the existence of our race? The world continued, life lived on and if the Earth’s age were to be compressed into an hour, humans would only be around for two seconds.
Yet threats to biodiversity do exist – natural and human and we as the intelligent ones, must take up the responsibility of not adding to them, but conserving biodiversity to the extent possible and, most importantly, hand in hand, with development. Or are we ready to go back to the early ages and live as cave men?
Many species. One planet. One future.
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Christmas musings
By Adelmo Fernandes
As we approach Christmas day, I am reminded of a poem by Lord Alfred Tennyson “The time draws near the birth of Christ; The moon is hid; the night is still; the Christmas bells from hill to hill; answer each other in the mist”. The cold winter nights, with the minimum temperatures dropping, remind us that Christmas day is fast approaching, and it is time to celebrate.
But then, the way we celebrate Christmas, has undergone a vast change over the years. I recall the days when, as a little boy, I would get down to the task of preparing the Christmas star, the Christmas tree and the crib, more than a week before Christmas day. In those days, bullock carts used to carry hay along the road. We used to run after these carts, to grab as much of the dry hay, as our little hands could, so that we could use it to make the crib. I used to spread wet mud on the floor, and sprinkle grains of wheat. In a week’s time, they would grow into a tiny bush. I recall scrapping bamboo sticks, so that we could use them to make a Christmas star. And for the Christmas tree, we used to cycle to the beach-side, and cut down branches of the pine tree. These branches would be carefully tied to the bicycles and we would then troop home with our prized Christmas tree.
The ladies in the house, would be busy preparing all the sweets to be distributed to the neighbours. It was also time to get new clothes stitched, to be worn for the mid-night mass. We used to play Christmas carols everyday, much before the 25th of December only to get into the Christmas spirit. Indeed, in those days, the Christmas feeling was in the air much before Christmas day.
That feeling does not exist any more. In today’s world, everyone is so busy that you probably get into the Christmas mood, only a day before Christmas. Our kids no longer prepare the Christmas star, the Christmas tree nor the crib. Everything is bought from the market, probably on Christmas eve, ie 24 December. The ladies are most likely to do the last minute Christmas shopping. Sweets are bought from the pastry shop and clothes are bought from the readymade clothes shops and presto, you are all ready for Christmas day. Everything is done in a jiffy, as time is precious. We are so busy with the worldly things that there is hardly any time to prepare ourselves, for Christmas day. We depend so much on things that are readily available in the market place. Incidentally, all this has robbed us of the joys and fun, associated with Christmas.
We do not realise that the biggest joy of a festival, is in preparing for it. The sweets that we make at home have the ingredient of love in it. Unfortunately, we now distribute sweets bought from the pastry shops. I would give anything to relive the Christmas day of childhood years. So this year, I have decided to prepare for Christmas, like the way I used to, in the past. Along with my two sons, I shall be preparing the Christmas star from bamboo sticks, the Christmas tree from the branches of pine-trees and the crib from dry hay. Dear readers, try it out this Christmas. It’s fun. Have a Merry Christmas.
