Guest blog by Orlagh McLaughlin
When I got the call to say I was invited to speak on the panel at the UK State of Nature launch in London, alongside the likes of Iolo Williams and Sir David Attenborough, I was in shock! Growing up I was inspired by David Attenborough's wonderful narrative of the natural world and amazed by the excitement of Springwatch. Here was my chance to meet some of my greatest childhood heroes!
Three years have passed since the first State of Nature report, which involved over 50 organisations coming together to report on how nature was doing. At the time I was at university studying a degree in Environmental Biology and this report, along with other research, burst my childhood bubble that nature would always be okay and opened my eyes to the fact nature was in trouble.
The future looked bleak. The species I loved were declining at an alarming rate and I felt like there was nothing I could do. Upset by the fact nature was facing so much darkness, I decided then and there that things needed to change and I couldn't just let this happen.
Although I had volunteered with wildlife organisations before, this report launched the start of my extensive volunteering journey with RSPB NI and other conservation organisations. I joined the RSPB’s Young Campaigners group and found my own way to help nature, through educating children. During my time volunteering I got the opportunity to speak at Stormont, engage with the general public, help out at reserves and was even inspired to write my own children's books to help young people understand nature better. I realised for the first time that there was a light through this darkness and, with hard work, we could turn the situation around for nature.
Three years later the second State of Nature report has been published and I was being given the chance to be the voice of my generation! After meeting Sir David (rendering me momentarily speechless), and in the company of Iolo Williams who kindly took me under his wing, I got the opportunity to hear Sir David speak about the report, followed by the UK Secretary of State for the environment.
The message was clear - nature is still in trouble. A lot of species are experiencing rapid declines but some species are doing well, mainly due to the actions of volunteers and targeted conservation projects. The report reveals that farmland wildlife is facing the most severe declines, with species heavily affected by changes in agriculture land use.
For the debate I was asked to sit on the panel with Iolo Williams on my left and Sue Armstrong-Brown chairing the panel on my right, along with representatives from farming, business and the National Trust. As I looked around at the other members of the panel I noticed I was the only ‘ordinary’ person (ie not well known or famous) and it was such a privilege to be there. The session ran in a similar way to Question Time, with the audience posing questions to members of the panel on how to help nature while protecting farming and business.
To me one of the biggest issues is food waste and the pressure we put on our environment just because we would like a rounder orange or a certain weight of chicken in our supermarkets. The stark reality is that the consumer is you, me and absolutely everyone - and that means everyone needs to act to save nature. We make choices every day that impact our environment - the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the way we travel, our energy use and many more. Simple things that may seem of inconsequence are driving this decline and simple things can reverse it.
The last question in the debate asked everyone on the panel to pinpoint one thing that could reverse wildlife declines. The answer was unanimous. We need a change in attitude and we need to educate the next generation. As a child I loved reading Seamus Heaney's poetry and a line from his poem Digging came to mind. I was given the opportunity to close the debate and my message was this. In Digging Heaney realises that everyone has different talents and he needs to follow a different path. He writes: “Between my finger and my thumb, the squat pen rests, I'll dig with it." We have great leaders like Sir David Attenborough speaking up for the natural world but whether nature bounces back will depend on the actions of ordinary people. We must find our own way to ‘dig’ for nature - whether that be as a politician, a public speaker, a volunteer or simply by taking more care about choices in our daily lives. Nature needs you!