Time to reimagine, recreate, restore

A few days ago we sent a message about the failure of political leaders to change the catastrophic situation that we face as a planet. One could cite among many others: 85% of global wetlands lost, 50% of coral reefs lost since 1950 (14% since 2010), one third of forests are gone, 15% increase in global per capita consumption of material since 1980, bee population declined 40% (pollinator-dependent crops are 36% of world crops), and before industrialization human population added to less than 1% of all mammal biomass, now humans and their domestic animals are 96% of mammal biomass.

This is the time to act. This is the time to reimagine, recreate, restore….

That is what we at the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS palestinenature.org) have been doing everyday for the past seven years. Just as examples from the past few days

1 - We conducted a workshop to launch the work on the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for Palestine. This builds on our work on the National Biodiversity Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (our collective report is now posted at https://chm.cbd.int/database/r ecord?documentID=257520). The workshop was opened by the Director General of Natural Resources at the Environmental Quality Authority (EQA), Dr. Issa Adwan who noted that NBSAP contributes to supporting Palestine's commitments globally and locally to a healthy planet even in the face of colonial occupation. Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh, Director of PIBS introduced the strategy to build the NBSAP including examples of biodiversity strategies for other countries. Mr. Mohammad Mahasneh, Director of the Biodiversity Department at the EQA presented the roles of stakeholders in building the NBSAP including organizing weekly workshops (Thursdays 11 AM Palestine time) on key topics over the next six months (let us know if you like to participate and/or help in this crical project).

2 - Participated in Rotary Country and Bethlehem meetings to plan more service projects. Rotary globally put environment in its top five priorities

3 - Participated in workshop on management of invasive species (this plus climate change and habitat destruction are the three most devastating issues affecting biodiversity)

4 - Participated in workshop on Biodiversity Conservation in developing countries (speakers from 10 countries)

5 - Gave several seminars to students and others from Palestine and globally on areas rangning from human rights to climate change mitigation and adaptation

6 - Through the "Unity and Diversity in Nature and Society" project funded by the European Union Peacebuilding Initiative, PIBS in cooperation with Directorate of Education in Bethlehem, conducted a training workshop on biodiversity in Palestine, focusing on Orchids as an educational module that was developed previously through the project.

7 - Through the same funding we had a school visit Thursday. Students enjoyed their visit to the museum and the gardens and learned about importance of biodiversity conservation. We are getting a mobile educational unit this week to provide conservation efforts to remote communities.

This is the time to act. This is the time to reimagine, recreate, restore….So Join us.

Email info@palestinenature.org

Follow us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/PIBS.MNH

Stay human
Mazin Qumsiyeh
A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home, Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director
Palestine Museum of Natural History
Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability
Bethlehem University
Occupied Palestine
http://qumsiyeh.org
http://palestinenature.org