Habitat

• Conservation, especially when modelled on notions of “pristine nature” — environments untouched by human influence — can create obstacles by limiting access to important food sources.
• We must shift from strict fortress conservation to more integrated, sustainable use of rural landscapes if we are to achieve both biodiversity conservation and dietary outcomes.

Settling down

• In turn, traditional diets were mostly comprised of wild foods, both plants and animals, that were harvested from the surrounding environment.
• This shift is the greatest driver of forest and other habitat loss globally, resulting in the substantial simplification of our diets.

• In other words, diversity in diets is linked with better nutrition and improved overall health.
• Up to 1.5 billion people globally depend on wild foods for nutrition and dietary diversity, particularly in the tropics.
• Building policies that protect people’s rights to access these landscapes is of paramount importance to ensure such dietary diversity in many rural settings.

Local stewards

• It is increasingly recognized that those who benefit from access — mostly Indigenous Peoples and local communities — are the best stewards of that land.
• However, land annexation in the name of conservation, and loss of access to the natural resources they contain, continues unabated.
• The major issue is that the notion of “pristine nature” does not exist in most landscapes, both tropical and temperate.

The way forward

• The recent Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems and Climate Action at the COP28 climate summit goes some way to recognize the importance of “smallholders, family farmers, fisherfolk and other producers and food workers.” However, there is no mention of the role of wild foods in rural nutrition, nor the role that forests and trees play in supporting agriculture through ecosystem service provision.
• Read more:
  Flipping Indigenous regional development in Newfoundland upside-down: lessons from Australia

  This must change to allow sustainable use initiatives to play a critical role in complementing and supporting diverse and nutritious diets for the rural poor — without compromising biodiversity goals or climate change mitigation strategies.

Terry Sunderland does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• Air Animal Pet Movers advises pet parents about the challenges of shipping aggressive dog breeds and birds.
• Airlines and some countries around the world have banned both air cargo arrivals and passenger cabin travel for aggressive dog breeds, advises Air Animal Pet Movers.
• Our goal is to de-stress family moves and corporate relocations across the country and around the world."
• "Our pet move managers can advise bird parents where to find the CITES import and export documents," Woolf said.

• The first ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report, released today by the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, showed that the conservation status of many migratory species is getting worse.
• The convention maintains a list of migratory species that are already in need of protection.
• More than one in five (or 22%) of the already threatened migratory species now face extinction.

Which species are listed?

• There are 4,508 species in the world that are migratory, and the convention lists 1,189.
• What must be done

  My research has pointed out that migratory species undertake remarkable journeys that connect diverse habitats across the globe.

• The report found that the threatened migratory species occurring in Africa, Asia and North America are experiencing the fastest declines.
• Of the migratory species that the convention lists as needing some level of protection, 97% are under threat of extinction.

Migratory animals’ habitats are being destroyed

• In Africa, 79% of new cropland over the past few decades has been established by destroying the natural vegetation where many migratory animals lived, the report says.
• The report also points out that pollution and introducing alien invasive species into habitats of natural vegetation put pressure on these indigenous species.

Why migratory species are important

• Migratory species consume tons of food daily.
• For example, deep-sea creatures, particularly tiny zooplankton, migrate from deep waters to the surface at night to feed on phytoplankton.
• Tiny marine animals are key to working out its climate impacts

  Protecting migratory species goes beyond conserving biodiversity; it is crucial for ensuring a healthier future for our planet.

What to do about it

• This includes expanding protected areas used by migratory species, taking down fences and making more effort to connect protected areas to each other.
• Stronger laws, enhanced international collaboration to curb illegal activities, and reducing bycatch in fisheries are urgently required, says the report.
• This report marks a significant step towards creating a conservation roadmap for migratory species.

• He is a senior Statistician at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
• He is also affilicated with the One Mara Research Hub (OMRH) and the Greater Serengeti-Mara Conservation Society; both devoted to securing the future of the magnificient Greater-Serengeti Mara Ecosystem.

• As part of the 2023 Employee Volunteer Initiative, Shentel employees enthusiastically supported two organizations: Habitat for Humanity and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank.
• Shentel employees also donated $19,000 to local charities throughout its footprint in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania through a company holiday initiative called "The Big Give".
• These efforts helped address critical community needs and fostered positive change for the local communities.
• I am incredibly proud of our new volunteer program that enables our employees to serve in their local communities.