Biodiversity
The Problem
Since the 1970s, UK wildlife abundance has declined by 13%. Globally, biodiversity loss is accelerating, with one million species at risk of extinction (BBC News).
Our Response
ICaN projects conserve, improve, enlarge and better connect habitats such as:
- Flower rich meadows
- Native woodlands
- Rivers, streams, and ponds
By enriching biodiversity, we strengthen ecosystems that provide clean air, carbon capture, and flood protection (What is biodiversity, and why is it so important? / RHS Gardening).
Why It Matters
Biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth - animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms. Together they provide us with everything necessary for survival, including fresh water, clean air, food and medicines.
We cannot get these benefits from individual species - a rich variety of living things must work together to form and sustain healthy ecosystems for us to benefit from.
Biodiversity underpins ecosystem stability. The more diverse the species mix, the more resilient ecosystems are to shocks like disease, pollution, or climate change.
Key Stats
“Butterflies have lost 97% of their habitat.”
“Pollinating insects have declined by 18% since 1970.”
“In the UK alone, pollination is estimated to contribute over £600M to the economy through food production.”
“The extinction of species is now happening between 100 and 1,000 times more quickly than scientists would expect.”