Our ecosystems play a significant role by providing food and water, various industrial resources, managing waste, medicine, clean air and many other benefits. Unfortunately, our activities have a negative impact on the wellbeing of our ecosystems, resulting in destruction and degradation of ecosystems and even complete damage or eliminating some of them from our environments. Removing a tree from our garden to construct a highway across a protected forest reserve can have significant changes and damage to an ecosystem's macro and micro components.
Ecosystem restoration plays a significant role in the recovery of ecosystems that have been degraded or destroyed. If we can manage healthier ecosystems that can host richer biodiversity, this can yield great benefits to us and our planet. This includes fertile soils, better harvest, more resources, the ability to withstand natural disasters, clean and green cities, more extensive storage of greenhouse gases and combating global warming.
On 5th June, we celebrate World Environment Day (WED), reminding us of the importance of nature, our position in our own environments and our responsibility towards maintaining the quality of nature. Ecosystem Restoration is the theme for WED this year. The massive biological diversity of our ecosystems is the key diver of our planet and we humans exist because of the biological ecosystems.
Over the years, Chiva-Som was able to restore 12 rai (4.7 acres) of barren land into a lush green mangrove ecosystem by planting and maintaining more than 10,000 mangrove seedlings. In 2020, celebrating WED we commenced planting 400 more mangrove seedlings to expand the Krailart Niwate Mangrove Ecosystem Conservation Project. By the end of last year, we were able to complete the planting of 4,000 mangrove seedlings. Our landscape team is committed to maintaining the gardens, lake and other trees around our resort, keeping the balance and diversity of the garden flora that host several kinds of fauna, including birds, butterflies, tree lizards, frogs and few other animals.
Let us get together and initiate whatever possible activities to help restore our ecosystems. Here are some of simple yet important tips that we can contribute towards ecosystem restoration:
- Do not destroy existing trees or plants
- Create a home garden if you have some space to plant
- Repair and replant wetlands, creek beds, forestland and other habitats
- Eradicate invasive species
- Do not release exotic or invasive fish species into natural water bodies
- Replace turf grass with native species
- Plant rain gardens to absorb rainwater runoff
- Do not contribute to environmental pollution by any means (soil, water or air)
- Use organic food as much as possible
- Feed birds and butterflies to enhance the natural pollination and the seed dispersal process
Let’s make a change for World Environment Day 2021 – Ecosystem Restoration.
