Youth Action

Reserva’s #1MillionLetters by Alex Collins

Alex Collins, 19, UK

I am one of the lucky ones. Fortunate enough to have grown up surrounded by wildlife, I have developed a strong, deep-rooted connection to nature, an appreciation and respect for the natural world that lies deep within me. If you are reading this, then I believe that you have this too.

Us humans have evolved alongside nature over millions of years, and as a result, there is no escaping our connection to it, no matter how hard some of us may try. We cannot continue to distance ourselves from the biodiversity that surrounds us. Firstly, because we rely on it so heavily, and secondly, because there is so much for us, for you, to gain from caring for our planet. And at the end of the day, that is all that most people care about, isn’t it?

We rely on nature a great deal more than we give it credit for, yet it still has so much left to offer, and so much that we do not know. If we continue to put pressure on our biodiversity, then we humans will have to deal with just as many negative consequences as the wildlife itself.

The natural world is somewhat of a companion to me. Always there, always providing adventure, interest, and refuge. Without nature I would feel less, I would care less, I would be less. And I’m not the only one.

Wild places soothe the anxieties that so many of us face in today’s rapidly developing society. They are an essential part of healthy living for every organism on Earth. Including us.

Our planet’s wildlife is incredible, more so than anything that man could ever think to create. And it has every right to exist, regardless of whether or not it is of benefit to the human race.

If you’re reading this and you disagree, then I challenge you. I challenge you to take an interest in nature, visit a wild place, learn about some of the biodiversity that surrounds you, and the good that it does for yourself and the planet. Once you open your eyes to the beauty and the necessity of the natural world, then you will understand what I mean when I say that protecting it is the most important thing you could ever do.

 

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Posted by Claire Edwards 20 April 2021

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