The Battle of Resources Vs. Wildlife

ALL PEOPLE need to look in the mirror to see who the culprit's are in the decline of many species of animals, insects and plant species around the world. Our shear numbers speak volumes to the stresses planet Earth endures.

As second and third world countries build up, prosper and gain ever increasing wealth so too does the demand for more resources to accommodate them and so out paces the ability for Earth to recover even with ever increasing stringent management rules and guidelines in place that people's impose and tax themselves for. Its it too little too late? Yes.

Take for instance the so called federal bailout. How much of this package do you suppose has been set aside for the environment? None. The funding will have to come from private enterprise and non-profits geared to specific environmental causes regardless of who win the nomination.

Pollinator Partnership is certainly a resource partner for your (National) Master Naturalist program and of keen interest to those who may not be aware of the dire circumstance our pollinators are facing. In order for people to master and preserve regional pollinators is to educate and arm themselves with information. Habitat loss and alteration of it is the major cause of decline in species.

Our desire to find other alternatives to oil dependency; such as wind, nuclear and hydro power is taking its toll on migrating insects and mammals to such an extent the loss hasn't begun to sink in enough yet. The decline in the imported honey bee is subjective because of our genetic alterations of plants and affects to the surrounding environment and natural cycles aren't well known because these sciences haven't been around enough in human time to know their unintended consequences.

We may be seeing glimpses of what is yet to come and what it will entail, but for all intensive purposes majority of the people are too engrossed in their own worlds to see the trees for the forest. And the 1% of us who do know and witness changes can only cry wolf for so long before everyone stops listening and unfortunately by that time it will be too late.

Extinction to some degree is forever, but what must be remembered it is evolution. When one species ceases to exist, that vacant space affords the next in line to evolve...    

Kari A. Olson
Restoration Naturalist
"The Friends of Interlaken Park"
Seattle Urban Forest Stewards