We are in the midst of the 6th mass extinction event, with extinctions occurring faster than at any time in the last 65 million years. ‘Bioabundance’ is in rapid decline, with recent studies showing that insects in particular seem to be disappearing fast. For example, recent evidence from Germany found that the biomass of flying insects fell by 76 per cent in the last 26 years. If insect declines continue it will have profound consequences for mankind and for our planet, for insects make up the bulk of life on land, and perform numerous vital roles in ecosystems: they are food for many other organisms, control pests, pollinate, recycle nutrients, and much more.
Dave Goulson, author of best selling The Garden Jungle and A Buzz in the Meadow, is a natural storyteller and inspiring speaker. In this talk he will explain the main drivers of insect declines, which include habitat loss, intensification of farming practices, pesticides, the spread of disease and climate change. He will then suggest how we should tackle this crisis, first by turning our gardens and urban green spaces into oases for life, and second by fundamentally changing the way we grow food.
