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The theme for this year's World Environment Day is "Our Land. Our Future", which provides the opportunity for all to reflect on the benefits of investing in land and habitat restoration, and conservation for people and wildlife.
World Environment Day comes only weeks after the launch of the United Nations' Global Land Outlook Thematic Report on Rangelands and Pastoralists, which shows that about 50% of the world's rangelands (grasslands) are degraded. Due to overuse, misuse, climate change and biodiversity loss, a severe threat is posed to humanity's food supply and the wellbeing or survival of billions of people.
In South Africa, the report states that afforestation, mining, and the conversion of land to other uses are the main causes of degradation and loss of grasslands.
Over the last decade the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) has driven the establishment of over 100 000 hectares of formal protected areas on privately and communally owned land, with associated improved management and habitat restoration. This, along with hundreds of hectares of targeted alien invasive tree clearing in critical riparian and water catchment areas, has driven improved ecosystem service provision in some of the most climate-sensitive areas.
