Taken from the latest edition of the Entomological Livestock Group (ELG) newsletter:
The leading headline in the Sunday Times, on the day after this year's AGM and Members' Day of the Amateur Entomologists' Society, read: 'Fortunes of super-rich soar by a third'. You would have had to navigate as far as page 5 of the paper to find an article that had rather more important news: 'Wildlife disaster heralds silent summer'. The message that a few rich people have increased their fortunes over the past year (page 1) whereas actually we're all doomed, by the way (page 5) reminded me of the old Cree Indian saying: "Only when the last tree has been cut down; Only when the last river has been poisoned; Only after the last fish has been caught - Only then will you find out that money cannot be eaten". I'm not especially knowledgeable about old Cree Indian sayings, I hasten to add, but this one is cited in a rather daring children's 'faction' book* launched at the aforementioned AES AGM and Members' Day. The author, Sonia Bloom, together with her two children (one of whom, the Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom, is particularly well known) attended the launch and signed copies of the book.
In the face of such headlines in the Sunday papers, this is all we can do, isn't it? The AES, and all the other societies and individuals with similar aims, can only try to engage youngsters in natural history through publishing books and holding events, and by supporting invertebrate conservation initiatives.
But ultimately the wake up calls - once 'Silent Spring, now 'Silent Summer' - will fall on deaf ears, because too many good people will stand by and do nothing. The overwhelming majority of the new tranche of politicians about to enter parliament after May 6th will not only be inexperienced but will not be focused on natural history. We can ask the candidates what their policies are on the future of the world, but will our voices be loud enough to be heard as these fledgling MPs flap their way around Westminster next month? Perhaps now is a good time to educate them, but in case it's too late the AES, at least, is starting with the youngest readers.
(*The new book is called 'Basil the Beetle's Scary Adventure' and is available from the AES at £4.50
post free (£3.50 until April 30th).
Amateur Entomologists' Society, PO Box 8774, LONDON SW7 5ZG. Website: http://www.amentsoc.org/ )
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