Sargent launches Biodiversity Week at National Botanic Gardens.
“Our Famine history demands an appreciation of biodiversity”
(Left to right) Trevor Sargent TD, Minister for Food and Horticulture, Eanna ni Lamhna, An Taisce, Dr. Peter Wyse Jackson, National Botanic Gardens, Dermot Carey, Lissadel House
Dublin, Ireland - On Saturday 16th May Minister for Food Trevor Sargent TD, launched Biodiversity Week, a week of events celebrating the variety of nature that sustains life in Ireland.
“It’s the variety in nature that gives us life, and all living things, including humans are part of and depend on biodiversity,” said Trevor Sargent TD, in his address at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. “We must ensure that the variety in nature is protected”.
Sargent added, “Few of us give much thought to how much we depend on biodiversity. Ecosystems produce oxygen, purify our water, and moderate our climate. Many jobs depend directly on biological resources including agriculture, fishing, forestry eco-tourism and outdoor recreation.
Maintaining our biodiversity gives us options to respond to unforseen and changing environmental conditions. Failure to conserve our biodiversity would put future options, flexibility and economic opportunies at risk.”
According to Sargent “these risks are real. Our Famine history demands an appreciation of biodiversity.The reliance on only one variety of potato left millions vulnerable to the blight which ravaged the country 160 years ago. It is a lesson we must never forget”.
Biodiversity is currently being lost at an unprecedented rate. Biodiversity loss in Ireland is caused mainly by habitat destruction, such as wetland drainage and infilling; through water pollution; from invasive alien species; by unsustainable and excessive consumption; from land use changes such as plantation forestry; and climate change. To allow continued biodiversity loss means losing the essential services that biodiversity provides, prevents handing down an invaluable gift to future generations, and puts future options, flexibility and economic opportunies at risk.
To mark the launch over sixty varieties of potato were on display, on loan from the collection grown at Lissadel House in County Sligo.
Eanna ni Lamhna, president of An Taisce, joined Minister Sargent in launching the week of events. She focussed on biodiversity in urban spaces. Urban biodiversity refers to plants and animals that live within the built environment, such as birds that nest on buildings or patches of vegetation that have so far survived encroaching development.
The launch coincided with the Sustainable Environment Fair, held in the National Botanic Gardens Education and Visitor Centre. It featured leading environmental and conservation organisations, including information and products on conservation, environmental education, fair trade, and ethically produced goods.
Biodiversity Week will be celebrated at over 60 events around the country. It will take place from 17 to 24 May 2009, and coincides with United Nations International Day for Biodiversity on 22nd May. In Ireland the events have been organised by environmental groups, local councils, the Department of Environment and Notice Nature.
The environmental groups involved are An Taisce, Bat Conservation Ireland, BirdWatch Ireland, Centre for Environmental Living and Training, Coastwatch Ireland, Coomhola Salmon Trust, Crann, Eco-Unesco, Forest Friends, Irish Natural Forest Foundation, Irish Peatland Conservation Council, Irish Seal Sanctuary, Irish Wildlife Trust, Just Forests, The Organic Centre, and Sonairte.
