BICREF Terrestrial biodiversity conservation research and awareness

As BICREF volunteers, to what extent do you feel nature is valued in the Maltese Islands
As BICREF volunteers we are involved first hand in environmental activities from undertaking
studies on the different species (plant and animals) one finds in different locations to carefully
considering the human impacts on these At the same time we get involved in see how nature is
necessary to local needs and services such as !ourism" Fishing" #eisure activities (such as having a
place to go for a pleasant day out$ picnics" walks" BB%s" etc)
#ast time &r 'ella had also indicated how nature provides important services in the production of
clear water and air" apart from healthy soil and conditions for life to continue and sustain itself on
this planet
#ocally" we find a variety of opinions on how important nature is (f course if one is not involved
in understanding the dynamics of how life operates one cannot understand the importance of nature
)o BICREF plays an important role in assisting research for the conservation of nature on land and
in our seas" while promoting the species and conditions re*uiring attention and +etter management
Can you !ive us so"e exa"#les of how BICREF volunteers such as yourselves can !et
involved with environ"ental wor$ or awareness
For e,ample BICREF volunteers are involved in surveys on land at conservation areas such as
-ha.n tuffieha in /alta and Ramla Bay in -o0o 1ere we can o+serve the contrast +etween
positive actions +y the managers of the conservation sites with the impacts of human distur+ance
)o while certain species may continue to survive with some assistance other species may slowly
disappear due to increasing human activities in their homes
(ne does not need to +e an e,pert to assist as there would +e scientists that can guide and train for
every pro.ect BICREF has +een running )o all that is needed is dedication and some will to assist
our local ongoing conservation pro.ects
&ifferent BICREF volunteers help in different ways from feature writing and documentary
production to taking part in e,hi+itions and education children and adults at pu+lic seminars
Can you !ive us so"e exa"#les of so"e s#ecies which you $now to be threatened
Bees for e,ample have a very important role to play in pollinating flowers of all kinds +oth wild and
cultivated plants have flowers that need Bees to allow them to produce future generations of fruit
and seeds 2orld wide we are facing a crisis on the loss of the honey +ee due to pesticides and
diseases that may together wipe out this important natural contri+utor
!he #ady+ird is another famous e,ample of a species that has an important contri+ution in keeping
plants healthy as they feed on some of their parasites But due to the increasing use of insecticides
we are seeing them less and less
Apart from the many other terrestrial animals such as hedgehogs" +ats" snakes" etc there are many
marine species too that need greater care and effective protection from +oth local authorities +ut
also +y all of us as part of our natural heritage !hese we will deal with in coming interviews
3ature needs to +e appreciated and en.oyed and BICREF4s documentaries such as this one" on
terrestrial +iodiversity and how we can en.oy it with minimal impact" are valua+le efforts to
improve local understanding of how we can all live in harmony with our natural environment !his
is important for sustaina+le development
%ow can "ore volunteers assist BICREF&s valuable wor$
By emailing BICREF on BICREF'!"ail(co" and asking to assist" either as volunteers in field
o+servations and awareness campaigns or as fund5raiser" as BICREF would +enefit from +oth
human and financial resources to run every long5term pro.ect it has +een working on for years
2e are sure many of your viewers would +enefit from their e,perience with BICREF" !he
Biological Conservation Research Foundation which was set up in 6778 in order to promote local
nature conservation needs in accurate way