The deteriorating state of our planet is no secret. Endemic plant species have lost close to 70% of their natural habitats due to chemical pesticides, invasive plant species and the destabilisation of their optimal living environments. All it takes is for one species to disappear to upset the balance of the ecosystem, yet in only 40 years we have seen a 60% loss in wildlife.
In the past 30 years, 75% of insects have disappeared and we are facing the real risks of food shortages thanks to the knock-on effects of a decrease in pollinators. If the world continues at its current pace for the next 60 years, then 95% of soil life will be dead. Soil health, vitality and diversity is entirely essential for the growth of edible crops and oxygenating plants.
Helping the environment needs to be a collaborative effort and whether we’re planting acres of native woodland and filling our gardens with pollinator-friendly plants, leaving areas of untouched wildness in our green spaces or simply avoiding the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides, there’s something out there that we can all do to help.
It’s not about a few people doing things perfectly, but rather a lot of us doing things imperfectly, learning and teaching from our mistakes and working together to build a network of sustainable biodiversity beneficial to all, one garden at a time.
