I came across one story that I cannot get out of my mind. The description of the Limestone Barrens of Newfoundland is bleak—a flat, seemingly desolate area where few trees grow. Because I grew up surrounded by verdant vegetation, because of my years in the magical forests of Gombe, the thought of these barrens is haunting. But I learned that the plant species are diverse, and to botanists they are special and fascinating. They are also endangered by human activities: The barrens are close to human communities, and because they are flat with little vegetation, they are used for such things as quarrying gravel, drying fish nets, off-road driving, and so on. Finally, a group of concerned citizens, realizing the extent to which this unique habitat had been degraded and destroyed, got together to try to protect some before it was too late. They launched their project in 2002 when about three hundred people—citizens of the town of Flower’s Cove, some local landowners, and students of the elementary school—signed an agreement pledging that they would do what it took to protect the barrens habitat. A new organization was born—the Limestone Barrens Habitat Stewardship Program. As a result, several areas of the barrens have been saved for future generations.

What I love about the story is the fact that all over the world, with its rich diversity of landscapes, there are people who care, and care passionately, about the little part that they call home. Of course it is important to conserve huge areas of the rain forests and prairies and wetlands with their rich biodiversity. But other places, insignificant and of little value in the eyes of most people, are important, too. The fascinating species that have managed to survive and thrive on the Limestone Barrens are worthy of protection, and the children there are learning to understand and love the place.