Biodiversity and Life
Life on Earth is a complex web of interactions. Millions of connected species of plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they contain and the ecosystem they form, all contribute to create the biosphere. They maintain the balance of the atmosphere, sea and land. They cycle, clean and regulate water, create soil and bind it together, break down wastes, pollinate our crops and create the food, fibre and other products on which we all rely.

Every aspect of our lives, every action we make, knits into this system. Without it the Earth would be uninhabitable. These groups of interconnected lifeforms constitute biological diversity or biodiversity. Biodiversity is made up of three components: genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity.

Right now all is not well within the system. The Earth is experiencing a breakdown. individuals, communities and whole ecosystems are becoming extinct at rates that many biodiversity experts believe are 10,000 times the normal level. Yet, day to day, these changes often go unnoticed, until they affect the upper levels of the chain, and our own health or habitat - the quality of air we breathe, the number of mosquitoes in the backyard, the changein birdsong each morning or the range of vegetables at our local grocers.

The endangered Southern Dibbler was once found throughout south-west Western Australia, but has suffered a 90% loss of its former habitat. Clearing of coastal heathlands has contributed to this reduction.

People often wonder if it really matters that a species becomes extinct. As a general rule, for every plant species that becomes extinct we can expect 15 animal species to follow. The toll for Australia’s plant species amounts to 76 extinctions and more than 300 currently endangered species (not including algae, moss lichens and liverworts, the status of which is unknown). This means that there are probably more than 1000 species of extinct animals, most of which are likely to be invertebrates, and more than 4000 threatened animal species - many of which are probably as yet “undiscovered”. The flow-on effect of this is clearly devestating. Photo: Lochman Transparencies

In the past species extinctions tended to be slow, caused by natural selection, and climatic and geological changes of the planet. Today it is a different story, mainly due to human activities. Half the known extinctions of the past 2000 years have occurred during this century. Whereas for the past 250 million years approximately one species became extinct per year, we are now losing about 50 species every day. Some of these are well known - the dodo and Tasmanian tiger - but many more have never been named and will never be known. The extinction rate is too fast for the rate of natural selection and evolution to replace the species lost. According to biodiversity expertProfessor Peter Raven, by 2020 we will hve lost a quarter of the world’s species. Unless we take action now!

With thanks from “On The Brink”, special Australian Conservation Foundation Habitat supplement.

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Threatened Species Changes:
Implementation of "Biodiversity Certification" of Local Environment Plans (LEPs) in NSW Coastal Regions
12th May 2005

The NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has produced a working paper for the implementation of Biodiversity Certification. Biodiversity certification is an approval gained from the Environment Minister by local councils for part or all of their Local Environment Plans (LEPs). It remains in place for at least 10 years and allows developers, on land covered by certified LEPs, exemption from having to consider, document and/or ask approval to destroy threatened species or their habitat when seeking development approval.

For a comprehensive summary produced by the Total Environment Centre, click here

We are still discovering many species that share our continent and waters. In 1996, divers searching a remote river in northeast Queensland made an amazing discovery. They found the gulf snapping turtle, a species thought to have died out up to 50,000 years ago. Recently, a previously unknown species of giant prawn has been found living in Sydney Harbour, while a new species of freshwater crab living in Cape York was accidentally discovered by scientist - for sale in a pet shop. However, due to the loss and fragmentation of habitat, many species are facing extinction. The key to conserving our plants and animals is to protect and restore their habitats. Even your backyard can be a haven for life.

Things you can do:
Conserving rare and threatened species is a key part of conserving Australia’s biodiversity.
We need to act to protect all our native ecosystems and species in a holistic way if we wish to stop the slide into extinction.

Write to the Prime Minister and the Federal Environment Minister expressing your concerns. Send your letters to:C/- Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600.

Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper.

* Work on conserving habitats and vegetation remnants in our own area. Encourage the creation of “green corridors” to link areas of remnant vegetation.

* Join a local Landcare group. There are many in this area and addresses can be obtained through the BSEC.

* Help to conserve habitat on private land. Many areas of remnant vegetation exist on private land and farmers need to be encouraged and supported to preserve these areas.

* Don’t remove dead or fallen trees from the bush. These are homes for many species and are part of the natural ecosystems and cycles of life.

* Control what exists within your own backyard. Introduced pests are animals and plants. Don’t allow either to move beyond your fence. Be mindful of any chemicals in your own home and garden. Be aware of what you pour down the sink and into the drains.

* Pay attention to your resource consumption and reduce your use of food, water, textiles, paper, building materials and all other matter that has an effect upon the environment.

* Join environmental groups such as Australian Conservation Foundation www.acfonline.org.au and help them to continue their valuable work.

* Talk to people about threatened species and try to educate your friends as much as you can about Australia’s wildlife.

* Contact the Threatened Species Network: Click Here

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The Call to Biodiversity
Biodiversity keeps our world going, keeps us healthy, renews our spirit, boosts our economy, will look after our children and protects our planet . Biodiversity is a term which encompasses all living things and their environment as part of an integrated whole. It is constantly changing relating at the same time, a choatic, creative ordered organic process. It is the plants, the animals, the micro-organisms, the soil, the water, the elements and how they interact within the enviroment ..... and it is us.

As we consider "Biodiversity" it is good to also consider the diverse range of options available to us all to make the situation better . These can even be applied in our daily life.

Some possibilities include:

• Explore alternative energies such as Solar, Wind and Water.
• Buy recycled paper products.
• Buy bulk food and organics (if you can afford it).
• Grow your own vegies.
• Decide not to buy plastic wrapped products.
• Use cloth nappies instead of disposables.
• You could decide not to have domestic pets such as cats and dogs which are known to hunt native animals or if you have them get them desexed so you can keep the feral population down.
• Try and minimise pesticide use or be pesticide free and find alternatives
• Join a Landcare, Dunecare or Farms For Wildlife group and work on regenerating these areas back to their natural beauty.
• People could be looking at the plants they have in their gardens and replacing exotics with natives,so that birds and bats are not eating and transferring exotic seeds to native forests.
• If you live on a farm leave shelter belts for your cattle which at the same time can become wildlife corridors for native animals of the area.
• Come in and volunteer at your local Environment Centre

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