Conservation and science: Why our youth should know the truth

By Ashinsa de Silva Wijeyeratne  

Conservation is fast becoming an everyday word – we see a lot of lobbying, action, and awareness. Although conservationists have been striving for many years, the challenges keep on coming and the work never ends. As destruction of natural habitats and loss of flora and fauna increase all around us, the need for accurate, targeted, and scientific conservation efforts also increases. 

One of the greatest problems conservationists face is lack of awareness. For people to want to protect, they must first realise that there is something worth protecting and why it is important to protect it. Often, passion and emotion are at the forefront of conservation issues that are highlighted. This is understandable, as anger, frustration, and sadness are all elicited when we see defenceless animals cornered and lashing out, or protected forests being cleared. But emotion – while a great motivator – cannot drive policy and make lasting change. Facts and scientific reasoning are necessary for this. 

The Youth Wing of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society (WNPS) believes very strongly in the incorporation of scientific facts into conservation education and awareness programmes. The future of conservation in Sri Lanka is in the hands of its youth, and the Youth Wing, therefore, strives to educate schoolchildren and young people all around the island on pressing conservation matters. 

When asking children to protect the biodiversity in the area, it helps to tell them why. Sri Lanka is a biodiversity hotspot, and this is often highlighted as a great thing. But to be classified as a hotspot, a place must not only have over 1,500 species of endemic vascular plants, but it must also have lost at least 70% of its primary native vegetation (as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] and the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund). Sri Lanka’s rates of endemism are staggering, with 50 out of 51 species of freshwater crabs and 205 of the 253 land snails being endemic to the island. There is so much worth protecting, and addressing all three areas of biodiversity – species, ecosystem, and genetics – is important in sustainable conservation programmes. 

Let’s look at the consequences of an unscientific conservation education programme. Aside from the obvious environmental harm that can be caused, such as asking people to take turtle eggs away from the nests for hatching elsewhere without a correct operating methodology in place, an adjustment of mindset can also have lasting consequences. Children may feel good about “helping” the environment and “protecting” it when in reality, they are doing more damage or not contributing in a helpful manner at all. The many “tree planting” campaigns we see occurring are good examples. A tree planning campaign needs to feed into a reforestation programme with long-term monitoring, prior assessment to make sure the right species of trees are being planted, knowledge on the effects of these trees on the environment around and the impact of them on local biodiversity, etc. Simply planting saplings and watering them for a few months will not do. 

Those engaged in conservation education have a large responsibility upon their shoulders. Contrary to popular belief, activism and conservation can go hand in hand and can do a large amount of good when coupled. However, the lines get blurred if the foundation of the message is unscientific and driven purely by emotion. 

For science and fuel conservation, research must be carried out. Research requires capital and scientists remain sadly underfunded. The more funding and research that is carried out in Sri Lanka, the more we will learn that will help further conservation efforts. This will allow us to focus on areas that require protecting, and species that are of value. The more we know, the better we can protect such species. It isn’t easy to present scientific solutions, but we must do our best. 

It should not be optional for conservation education programmes to be scientific. Science also advances each year, and awareness programmes should reflect these changes in statistics and information. When carrying out a programme, ask yourself the following questions – why am I doing this and what am I trying to achieve through it? Where did I get my background information from? What statistics or ground reality am I basing my campaign on? How much research has been done to prove what I am saying? Is this approach realistic and possible in the locality/area? What are the long-term effects of my campaign?

Many wonderful conservation education programmes are being carried out around Sri Lanka, by individuals as well as organisations. Their work is inspiring and is paving the way forward for a better future for this island’s flora and fauna. We can never have too many conservationists, we just need to make sure everyone is going about it in the most effective and scientific way possible. Together, we can make lasting changes in protecting the treasure trove that is Sri Lanka’s biodiversity. 

(The writer holds a BSc (Hons.) in Microbiology and Biotechnology. She is an active and enthusiastic member of the WNPS, especially its Youth Wing. She is passionate about science communication and is Founder of the social media page Biospeak, which aims to generate engagement and enthusiasm for biology among the general public)

The Youth Wing of the WNPS aims to inspire young people to be the change for a better tomorrow in wildlife conservation and environmental protection in Sri Lanka. The Youth Wing travels all around the island, speaking and engaging with schools and institutes, to educate and equip the younger generation with the necessary knowledge and tools for driving sustainable conservation in the country.