Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham was at Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden on the 13th of January to launch Scotland's involvement in the International Year of Biodiversity or IYOB.
The public are being encouraged to "do one thing" to preserve biodiversity – from learning to identify birds to encouraging wildlife into gardens.
Ms Cunningham said: "We are surrounded by wonderful examples of nature, from our back gardens to our stunning national parks. "By getting out and interacting with nature we will learn more about it and understand why it needs our help."
The United Nations proclaimed 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity, and people all over the world are working to safeguard this irreplaceable natural wealth and reduce biodiversity loss. This is vital for current and future human wellbeing.
You rely on this diversity of life to provide you with the food, fuel, medicine and other essentials you simply cannot live without. Yet this rich diversity is being lost at a greatly accelerated rate because of human activities. This impoverishes us all and weakens the ability of the living systems, on which we depend, to resist growing threats such as climate change.
Humans are part of biodiversity too and have the power to protect or destroy it. Currently, our activities are destroying biodiversity at alarming rates.
Take Action in 2010 and beyond, because
Biodiversity is life
Biodiversity is our life
How to Participate
Be inspired and get involved! It is the actions of individuals that will ultimately make a difference for safeguarding biodiversity.
Learn
About biodiversity in your locality, region and country
How your consumption patterns and everyday actions may impact on biodiversity, sometimes in distant ecosystems
Speak
Make your views known to the government and the private sector
Share your knowledge with people around you
Send us your success stories so we can share them with the rest of the world
Act
Make responsible consumption choices
Support activities and organizations that conserve biodiversity
Join a local environmental NGO or organize your own activities that will help biodiversity
Be creative and find solutions to biodiversity loss
Send us your pictures, artwork, videos and other creations, and we'll share them with the world
Have a look at our “In your garden” and “volunteering” sections for more ideas and keep an eye on our events page for information on biodiversity events throughout the year.
For more information on the International Year of Biodiversity log on to
This is the website of IYB-UK, which is the UK partnership supporting IYB.
Biodiversity in Inverclyde, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire | sitemap | log in
