WWF Program Pushes for Concerted Effort When Tackling Earth's
Environmental Problems
10/31/99
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: The Line in the Sand
Source: Environmental News Network
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: October 31, 1999
Byline: Hillary Mayell
The mounting threats of pollution, population growth, deforestation,
global warming and habitat loss are overwhelming the capabilities of
the Earth's ecosystems to survive. And the patchwork approach that
has been taken thus far, of preserving isolated parks, is not nearly
enough to solve the problem. That's the basic message of the World
Wildlife Fund's Global 200 campaign, an effort to raise awareness of
the need for a massive, concerted effort to save what's wild on our
planet.
In contrast to the flat interior, Brazil's Atlantic Forest varies in
altitude from 650 to 5,000 feet, creating numerous ecozones that
support millions of species. Only five percent of these dense forests
that existed when the first European colonists arrived here in the
early 16th century now remain. The rest have been leveled for
agriculture and development.
WWF has identified 237 ecoregions around the world that are the most
outstanding examples of Earth's diverse terrestrial, freshwater and
marine habitats. Preserving these wild spaces is essential. In other
words, it's time to draw a line in the sand. If we trespass beyond
that line, it will lead, sooner rather than later, to a catastrophic
loss of diversity and ecosystems.
As part of the campaign, WWF has released a book titled Living
Planet: Preserving the Edens of Earth, a pictorial of what will be
lost if we don't join the struggle. Renowned photographers David
Doubilet, Frans Lanting and Galen Rowell have photographed
landscapes, flora and fauna to bring home, in ways no words can, just
how much is at stake in conservation of the Earth's natural wonders.
The isolated islands of Aldabra Atoll provide a haven for giant
tortoises. The mangroves of the Aldabra Atoll are critical to the
conservation of frigate birds and untold marine life of the Indian
Ocean. As with all the world's oceans, the Indian Ocean is threatened
by overfishing and pollution from toxic chemicals.
The gorgeous photography depicts some of the rare places on Earth
that remain wild and must be kept that way. A portion of the proceeds
from the book will go to a fund for saving the Global 200 spaces.
WWF has an online companion site where viewers can see pictures,
order the book and participate in an auction to benefit Earth's wild
places.