Because of human overpopulation and the destruction of the environment—either through the desperation of poverty or through the thoughtless, selfish overconsumption of the elite—many animal and plant species are losing out. Throughout these pages, we have shared stories of animals rescued from the brink of extinction but still endangered by lack of suitable habitat. Thus it is encouraging to know that ecosystems that have been almost totally destroyed can, if there is political will and sufficient support from the people, be restored. They will probably never be exactly as they were before—in many cases, small endemic plants and animals have gone forever. But even partially restored ecosystems can provide suitable habitat for wildlife. Indeed, the resilience of nature never fails to amaze me.
Fortunately, there is a growing awareness of the scars we have inflicted on the natural world through ruthless disregard for the environment, our lack of respect for the lives of the other animals of Planet Earth, and the unsustainable and absurd belief that there can be unlimited economic growth on a planet of limited natural resources. At least the current economic meltdown is forcing people to start thinking in new ways.
There is also a growing awareness and concern for the terrible toll on human health and welfare that has been caused by a combination of ignorance or greed: It is not only the environment and wildlife that are affected by industrial pollution, reckless burning of fossil fuels, and the criminal use of toxic, carcinogenic chemicals in agriculture, food preparation, and so on. As more and more of the general public understands how our health and that of our children has been so shamefully put at risk, more and more pressure is being put on industry to clean up its act. This will also help the environment to heal.
Of course, a major problem is the sheer number of people in the human population, needing ever more space for living and growing food. Nevertheless, there are ways in which we can contain our impact. Legislation to control toxic emissions exists in many countries and people are beginning to understand the need to use sustainable energy, conserve water, plant trees, and so on.
Some of the worst environmental degradation results from extreme poverty, which—especially where there are more people than the land can support—results in destruction brought about by desperation. In order to grow the food you need for yourself and your family, you will clear wilderness areas and catch animals to eat. If you have no way to cook other than wood, trees will be gradually destroyed. If you are desperate to earn money to care for your family, you will turn your hand to anything with little regard as to how you might be adversely affecting the environment. And all this is only too often compounded by a lack of education.
Clearly, we cannot protect wildlife without alleviating the poverty of people living nearby. And if we improve lifestyles, we must also provide information on family planning and environmentally sustainability. It was Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, who first proved that the poor are, indeed, credit-worthy. Tiny loans for establishing environmentally friendly businesses are almost always paid back. I went to Bangladesh, and Yunus took me to see some of the women whom he had lifted out of poverty. It was an unforgettable experience that led to our setting up microfinance opportunities for the people around Gombe. A similar system was introduced to the peasant farmers living near the Cao Hai Nature Reserve. I believe it is the only way to successfully alleviate poverty. When a loan is paid back—and it almost always is—people can take ownership of the project. They are proud.
The current situation in China illustrates the effect of rapid economic development at the expense of the environment.
The poor there were promised jobs manufacturing goods for outside markets, but they had no way of protesting the sweat shops and child slave labor that resulted. They and their children people were exploited so that China could undercut prices of goods made in the West. The biggest migration in history was set in train as the rural poor flocked to the cities that were growing up overnight. I have been to China once a year since 1998. The speed of development is staggering, with number of new roads and buildings springing up almost overnight, particularly in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. And with this, the level of pollution is increasing and the destruction of the natural world is accelerating. The decision to go ahead with the Three Gorges Dam sounded like a death knell. Two-thirds of China’s main rivers are too polluted for the water to be used for drinking or agriculture. And in her desperate effort to acquire the materials she needs, such as timber and minerals, China has turned to the natural resources of other countries, especially in Africa where many politicians are willing to sell off the future of their children.
No wonder so many have given up on China’s environment—including many of the Chinese people. But it is important to realize that China is only doing what has been and often still is being done by many other countries; the impact is worse because of the staggering number of people and, until relatively recently, the government’s refusal to admit there was anything wrong.
Yet despite all the harm that has been and is being done to the environment, there are still vast areas of wilderness remaining in China—and there is a growing awareness of the need to protect the environment and conserve wildlife. We share three stories in our book from China that illustrate this: the reintroduction of the Milu (or Père David’s deer), the saving of the Crested Ibis, and the efforts to conserve sufficient habitat for the successful reintroduction of captive bred Giant Pandas. And an additional story on this website – the protective measures taken to preserve the Chinese alligator – provide rays of hope.
The restoration projects in the following pages range from the cleanup of our waterways to the healing of desecrated landscapes. When the resilience of nature is combined with the resourcefulness of dedicated, sometimes passionate individuals, seeming miracles can occur.
The restoration of our damaged planet is, perhaps, the most important and most noble task that lies ahead.
