World Nature Conservation Day is celebrated annually on July 28. The World Nature Conservation Day aims to create awareness and educate people to preserve the environment and resources of the earth like water (ocean, rivers), air, soil, trees (forests and urban plantation). Nature Conservation also includes protecting the wildlife, aquatic animals, and birds on the verge of extinction.
Nature Conservation is practicing the idea in our day-to-day lives, doing our tiny part, and contributing as a society to save the many treasures of nature. It is about adopting sustainable and eco-friendly choices so that we as a species do not disrupt the ecological balance and protect the habitat for the present and for future generations and other species that thrive on the planet.
“Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Plane”- the theme of Nature Conservation Day 2021.
This theme signifies how forests are an important resource and what we need to do to stop the declining forest reserves on our planet. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and regulate temperature. Trees also absorb the harmful greenhouse gases and reduce the rising temperature. This rising temperature is the menace called global warming or climate change we humans have brought to this planet. Rapid industrialization, burning fossil fuels, mining, urbanization, and deforestation, have contributed to global warming.
Deforestation has disturbed the ecosystem, endangered many species, and resulted in soil erosion, weather patterns, and climate changes.
Apart from animals, some people depend upon forests for their livelihood. Tribal and rural populations in developing countries depend upon forests produce like honey, herbs, medicinal plants for income. They use firewood for cooking and sourcing fodder for livestock from forests. Even their homes are built from lumber.
It is not just about income but a way of life for them, as a part of their social life and cultural identity.
Conserving Nature or forests: What can administrations and individuals do
Conservation of forests has to be done by both individuals and as societies collectively.
• Government level measures
1. Governments across the globe have enforced laws and rules against felling trees.
• At the individual level
1. Plant trees!
