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World Wildlife Day
The importance of wildlife and diversity in the natural world has never been as much as a focal point as it is today we all appreciated the opportunity to escapee lockdown wows with green vestigates. Now it is our turn to protect these valuable green spaces.
First of all, to raise awareness, different organisations worldwide show what affects disappearing wildlife by linking it to their branding. Now, why are they doing this?
In today's article, I discuss what the day brings awareness for. The reason why we need to keep wildlife at the centre of our policies. What we can do to help as general citizens.
Now the impact which humans have on the natural world is plain and clear for everyone to see. The importance of days such as today to highlight our place in the world and are impacts is crucial. Now what these days do is highlight what we can do better rather than encourage a sense of regret because we need to recognise what we can do better.
In terms of highlighting impacts on various animals, countries such as India highlight their rich wildlife and make it clear that their natural heritage is essential. In particular, the steps taken toward the reintroduction of other predators like Cheetahs show that they recognise that as well as maintaining the existing animals in the region, they need to reintroduce historic species to help the region recover. Countries such as India recognise the need to promote greater cohesion with wildlife organisations, such as how UK football clubs highlight the impact of World Wildlife day by removing animals from their logos. This is more for publicity, making more people aware of the effects we are having and raising awareness. This links us to the theme this year, where we look at how Forests and Livelihoods: Sustain People and the Planet.
My interest in this field is the impact that our industries have on pollinators. Comprehending how they utilise their habitats effectively is key to understanding how to preserve the species and biodiversity. The crux of this process is applied broadly to other animal conservation. Noting the importance of conservation projects and planting endeavours to help the animals recover in their environment. Comparing this with infrastructure projects that restore the vibrance of our woodlands. In Suffolk, the focus needs to be on developing works in the conservation and regenerative agriculture fields. For the Agricultural sector to grow in a sustainable direction, research needs to identify areas that producers can continue developing to maximise sustainable growth for both the industries and wildlife.
My interest in pollinators, significantly the benefits they bring to the natural world for flora and their important place in food webs. Now forests have a significant advantage in terms of how they safeguard the planet. They are quoted as being the lungs of our world. We need to recognise how we sustainably grow to limit our damage to these valuable green spaces. Many flora species have contributed to our medicines and food production. Each year, new resources, such as; plants, pharmaceutical, food resources, and natural beauty, are discovered alongside animal species. We also need to remember that the natural biodiversity all reduces how many species densely congregate in a given space. This is key for epidemiological reasons are it provides a barrier against disease spread. While animals would naturally interact in forests or different biomes, their interaction frequency is limited outside of the human environment. The increased interaction in intensive settings like wet markets has arguably lead to an increase in disease spread.
So in terms of how you can protect animals in terms of policy areas, the Dutch indeed lead the way in giving animals a front and place centre in their infrastructure projects. Often building animals into their design, they include Wildlife corridors, giving animals access to other habitats, enabling more extraordinary biodiversity and not limiting them to a closed environment and isolated population. This is a more expensive form of infrastructure design, but it is crucial we need to reflect on this when we look at designing our environments at home. Connecting farms via hedgerows and allowing green spaces to be connected, not isolated. Countries like Rwanda, India, Scotland, and Costa Rica are increasing the number of trees they are planting to increase forest cover and biodiversity. In Suffolk, we are doing the same thing by establishing our memorial woodlands and engaging in our own planting initiatives. Countries like Zambia have set up organisations to monitor and regulate our impact on animals ensuring they have the opportunity to thrive in the environment. Countries like Canada, the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Bhutan, Tanzania, and Botswana have invested heavily in National parks and the different safeguards that can establish vestiges of protection for vulnerable habitats. Norway and Namibia have particular safeguards in their policy that recognise protected species and safeguard animals in law and society.
Now to summarise how you can help as well as engaging in conservation projects locally, you can also make sure your home is wildlife-friendly. Whether that be providing food and resources for animals that are unable to find resources at particular times of the year, such as Hedgehogs. Putting wildlife shelters in place or bird boxes to offer them an alternative home to replace the lack of suitable nesting sites. Planting trees and hedges which are ideal for nesting and foraging, which animals can use as valuable resources. In terms of what these plants are, heritage plants are good places to start but think Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Dogwood. Think about what you can offer to animals. Can you provide food for animals or even small plants for pollinators in the window? Could you plant a heritage hedge? Can you get involved with other projects rewilding, tree planting or conservation projects?
https://rr-africa.oie.int/en/projects/world-wildlife-day-2021-forests-and-livelihoods-sustaining-people-and-planet/
https://www.republicworld.com/lifestyle/festivals/world-wildlife-day-here-is-the-theme-history-and-significance-of-this-day.html
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/news/world-wildlife-day-when-is-it-this-years-theme-and-how-to-take-part/
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/which-countries-are-the-best-in-wildlife-conservation.html
https://nationaltoday.com/world-wildlife-day/
https://www.rightmove.co.uk/news/articles/three-top-tips-to-help-give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/
Covid-19 Vaccination
Yesterday the UK beat its target of providing the first dose of the Covid vaccine to the first four vulnerable groups. Now, this article will look at what the UK has done to achieve this feat, how the companies were able to achieve this innovation and what this could mean for the future.
The Vaccine roll out:
Now the UK has had the most successful vaccine roll out in Europe we also rank the highest in the top three countries globally. With only Israel and the UAE ranking above us globally. Now both of these countries have taken advantage of their extensive logistical networks. These networks have enabled smooth delivery of vaccines sourcing and funding of these crucial items of medicine and streamlined delivery. Now the UK’s efforts have had several notable key players or factors which has contributed to its success. The part which our NHS has played in battling the virus as well as the vast amount of volunteers who have signed up to support the vaccine rollout allowing us to administer the vaccines. Now as with many articles which have given credit to the works that the government had done with the procurement of vaccines. The country took a risk by not joining the EU scheme and took steps to set up its own procurement scheme both funding and signing unto multiple companies programs. This could have been highly problematic we could have spent a lot of taxpayer money on failed schemes which may have yielded nothing. However, by doing this the government was able to ensure access to the vaccines by giving the companies a commitment to their product. Other schemes which did not provide the same guarantee fell into an issue with this.
The Vaccine:
Now the vaccines themselves are an innovation in both their design and speed of development. Now truly this innovative process has the potential to be used in other areas of medicine but the fact that the sector has now created a new system which expands on traditional processes. Whereas vaccines traditionally used dead or weak viruses. Now, this innovation introduces a cultured antigen into a delivery system often yeast or bacteria. This takes advantage of the growth characteristics of these types of molecule. Once cultured they then go through a purifying process making them safe. With any scientific achievement, there are always steps to continue to innovate with the mRNA that is the processing time between different virus proteins. AI drug development could be one particular area which could possibly see us be able to innovate this process identifying discrepancies faster than what conventional science can.
Travel and Passports:
With the good news, this will undoubtedly bring too many some will now start thinking about travel. Now one thing that has been discussed regularly is the feasibility or indeed likelihood of a vaccine passport as many people are thinking about how or even if countries have protocols in place for vaccination against diseases. Yellow Fever is one particular disease which is regularly vaccinated against as is hepatitis. Now whilst holidays will likely return there is a possibility that this will only be possible with covid passports of some description. We are already seeing that a mandatory isolation period is being brought into protecting citizens from 33 high-risk countries with variants of the covid virus. However, at this point whilst we are likely to see some form of testing for covid and a return of travel corridors until it is known if vaccines will prevent the spread of the virus. The reason testing may be the likely first step is to allow travel for those under 50 who have not been able to be vaccinated to travel and will likely be the result of lobbying by travel companies. For anyone who wants written proof of the vaccine, they can obtain this from GPs for a small fee. Although companies have not outright suggested a further restriction on those travelling it is too early to tell what this could look like but for those with existing bookings, I would ensure you have suitable travel insurance and re-read your holiday providers policies. The articles at the bottom of this article provide a reference for vaccines needed in each country as well as possible restrictions for travel.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/08/future-of-cities-covid-19/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/10/uk-poised-to-shun-eu-coronavirus-vaccine-scheme
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/covid-19-vaccinations/
https://www.which.co.uk/news/2021/02/will-i-need-a-coronavirus-vaccine-to-fly-or-travel-in-2021/