28th July World Nature Conservation Day

World Nature Conservation Day acknowledges that a healthy environment is the foundation for a stable and healthy society and therefore we are tasked with the need to leave a healthy planet for those coming after us to enjoy.

Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “The world has enough for everyone’s needs, but not everyone’s greed.” We should take an inspiration from this saying and start using natural resources judiciously without being greedy and selfish. What else could we do?

1. Plant trees where they are needed

2. Reduce Reuse Recycle

3. Grow our own food

4. Volunteer in the community for projects that advocate for the environment

5. Educate ourselves about what is happening and what we can do

Whatever you decide to do on this day, your celebrations need to emphasise keeping the various components of nature such as flora, fauna, energy resources, soil, water, and air intact and preserving the environment for future generations. In addition, World Nature Conservation Day underlines the need for preserving the environment for future generations. 

All of these things are being practised by the school community I work in. The library displays often focus on something to do with the environment. Because of the Book Week theme this year Read Grow Inspire, the library is saturated at the moment with books about growing, in particular...trees, seeds, flowers, gardens, fruit, vegetables, the list goes on.

This new title, The Story of Conservation which is part six of a series The Story of ... by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams is an ideal place to start. It will educate teachers and their students.

The authors explain that Earth’s natural resources include air, minerals, plants, soil, water, and wildlife. Conservation is the care and protection of these resources so that they can persist for future generations. 

As well as discovering the effects conservation could have across the world, this book also helps us discover practical ways we can work together to help protect our resources for our future generations.

A book, that I hadn't seen till very recently is E is For Environment  by Lucy Curran and Francesca Rosa. It appears deceptively simple, but it does give you all the terminology.

A is for Atmosphere, B is for Biodiversity, C is for Conservation, and so on in this delightful concept book that teaches young readers the ABCs of the natural world around us and how to protect it.

And lastly, Caring Conservationists Who are Changing Our Planet by Kate Peridot and Sarah Long. This book is about 20 conservationists from around the world and the endangered animals and ecosystems they work so hard to protect. These incredible people who through their amazing conservation efforts have changed the world for the better, show children that no one is too small to make a difference.