#ForNature
Welcome to the Biodiversity Hub, developed in collaboration with key partners for World Environment Day 2020.
World Environment Day celebrates and promotes environmental awareness and sustainability across the globe. The Society for the Environment champions this initiative by creating awareness of the chosen theme each year. The theme for 2020 was "Biodiversity - #ForNature".
Within this hub you will find inspirational resources on how you can help to protect and enhance biodiversity all around us - including home school activities and good practice case studies!
What is Biodiversity?
In short: the variety of life on earth - ecosystems, habitats and species.
The UN defines Biodiversity as “the variety of life forms in any given habitat, from large animals to plants to fungi to the smallest of organisms”.
Watch this video from the WWF to get more insight.
Why Does Biodiversity Need My Help?
Why is it so important? Find out by watching this video.
Tremendously valuable. The international Convention on Biological Diversity notes that "The Earth's biological resources are vital to humanity's economic and social development. As a result, there is a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations. At the same time, the threat to species and ecosystems has never been so great as it is today.
One thing is certain: despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our health, water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy."
Ways to Get Involved
1. Explore the toolkits, case studies and activities available below
2. Find something you can do to help biodiversity
3. Make it happen and share on social media using #ForNature
4. Sign up to 30 Days Wild during June
Useful Information & Resources
EnvCast Podcast | World Environment Day Special - Biodiversity
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Biodiversity Webinar Series
We ran our topical Biodiversity webinar series in June 2020. During the series we heard expert talks on the following talks:
- Biodiversity Net Gain: Good Practice Principles For Development
- Biodiversity In Practice: What Environmental Professionals Are Doing to Enhance their Environment
- Engaging the Public on Biodiversity – Behaviour Change & Community Empowerment
View the Net Gain webinar via the video clip, or watch back the full series via the playlist button below.
More Resources
Highlights
A thorough overview of activities you can try can be found on the Wildlife Trusts’ website.
Steve Backshall’s Live Wildlife Q&A – Biodiversity Special
Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) Home Learning and Family Fun
Gardening For Biodiversity
Everyone can make a difference in their gardens, on balconies and window-ledges or in community spaces.
“The green spaces of our towns and gardens bring nature into our daily lives, brightening our mornings with birdsong and the busy buzzing of bees. Together, the UK’s gardens are larger than all of our National Nature Reserves combined, making them as important for wildlife as they are for our own wellbeing.”
– Wildlife Trusts. Read more, here »
As the Wildlife Trusts say; “Go wild in your garden! Large or small, ledge or yard, your garden can be a mosaic in a wider network of natural havens linking urban green spaces with nature reserves and the countryside.” Time to make it happen with some positive actions:
How to attract butterflies to your garden
How to create a container garden for wildlife
And, so much more from the Wildlife Trusts »
For the keen, experienced gardeners:
If you know your way around a garden, but really want to enhance your contribution to increasing biodiversity in your garden plans, check out this guide by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).
Biodiversity Net Gain
There are many high quality resources on the topic of Biodiversity Net Gain, including this featured video: "Biodiversity Net Gain: the next big thing for UK nature conservation?" by Claire Wansbury FCIEEM CEcol CEnv - Associate Director of Ecology: Infrastructure | UK & Europe at SNC Lavalin’s Atkins business
More Case Studies
Greengage Environmental Ltd: Living Roof Enhancement
CIRIA, CIEEM and IEMA: Biodiversity Net Gain: Good Practice Principles for Development Case Studies
Berkeley Group: Making Space for Nature and Beauty – Creating Net Biodiversity Gain Nationwide »
Siemens: Volunteering with the Wildlife Trusts »
Siemens: Portrack Marsh Nature Reserve Enhancement »
Gatwick Airport: Enhancing Biodiversity at Gatwick Airport »
Transport for London: Biodiversity Baseline »
Cornwall Council / Cormac Solutions Ltd: Green Infrastructure for Growth (Biodiversity Legacy Award) »
