Member-only story

Protecting the Last Great Wilderness on Earth: A Call to Action

Carlos Drummond

·13.5k Followers· Follow

Published in Antarctic Youth Ambassador: Protecting The Last Great Wilderness On Earth

6 min read · 5 days before

1.3k View Claps

78 Respond

Save

Listen

The world's wilderness areas are under threat. From climate change to pollution to deforestation, the forces that are driving the destruction of wilderness are relentless. But we must not give up hope. We must continue to fight to protect these precious ecosystems for future generations.

Antarctic Youth Ambassador: protecting the last great wilderness on earth

by Kunal Verma

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	67046 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	574 pages

What is Wilderness?

Wilderness is a natural area that is largely unaffected by human activity. It is a place where the forces of nature reign supreme, and where wildlife can thrive in its natural habitat. Wilderness areas provide a multitude of benefits to both humans and wildlife, including:

Clean water and air: Wilderness areas are natural filters that clean our water and air. They provide habitat for animals and plants that help to purify our environment.
Climate regulation: Wilderness areas help to regulate the Earth's climate by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. They also provide habitat for animals and plants that help to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Biodiversity: Wilderness areas are home to a wide variety of plants and animals. They provide habitat for endangered species and help to maintain the balance of nature.
Recreation: Wilderness areas provide opportunities for a variety of outdoor recreation activities, such as hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. These activities can help to improve our physical and mental health.
Spiritual and cultural values: Wilderness areas have deep spiritual and cultural significance for many people. They are places where people can connect with nature and find peace and solitude.

Threats to Wilderness

The world's wilderness areas are facing a number of threats, including:

Climate change: Climate change is causing the Earth's climate to become warmer and more extreme. This is leading to the melting of glaciers, the loss of sea ice, and the more frequent occurrence of droughts, floods, and wildfires. These changes are having a devastating impact on wilderness areas.
Pollution: Pollution is a major threat to wilderness areas. Air pollution, water pollution, and soil pollution can all harm wildlife and damage ecosystems. Pollution can also make it difficult for people to enjoy wilderness areas.
Deforestation: Deforestation is the clearing of forests for agriculture, logging, or other purposes. Deforestation destroys wildlife habitat, disrupts ecosystems, and contributes to climate change. It is a major threat to wilderness areas around the world.
Mining, oil and gas: Mining, oil and gas development can damage wilderness areas by polluting air and water, destroying wildlife habitat, and fragmenting ecosystems. These activities can also make it difficult for people to enjoy wilderness areas.
Logging: Logging is the cutting down of trees for timber or other purposes. Logging can damage wilderness areas by destroying wildlife habitat, disrupting ecosystems, and contributing to climate change. It can also make it difficult for people to enjoy wilderness areas.
Dams: Dams can damage wilderness areas by flooding river valleys, destroying wildlife habitat, and disrupting ecosystems. Dams can also make it difficult for people to enjoy wilderness areas.
Roads: Roads can damage wilderness areas by fragmenting ecosystems, providing access for humans, and allowing for the spread of invasive species. Roads can also make it difficult for people to enjoy wilderness areas.

What Can We Do?

We must take action to protect wilderness areas before it is too late. Here are some things that we can do:

Support organizations that are working to protect wilderness: There are a number of organizations that are working to protect wilderness areas around the world. We can support these organizations by donating money, volunteering our time, or speaking out on their behalf.
Reduce our own impact on wilderness: We can all reduce our own impact on wilderness by making choices that are less harmful to the environment. For example, we can drive less, use less energy, and recycle more.
Educate others about the importance of wilderness: We can all help to educate others about the importance of wilderness by sharing information about wilderness, its benefits, and the threats it faces. We can also take our friends and family to wilderness areas so that they can experience the beauty and wonder of these places for themselves.
Advocate for policies that protect wilderness: We can all advocate for policies that protect wilderness by contacting our elected officials and letting them know that this is an issue that we care about. We can also support candidates for office who have a strong track record on environmental protection.

Protecting the last great wilderness on Earth is a critical task for humanity. We must act now to protect these precious ecosystems before it is too late. By working together, we can ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the beauty and benefits of wilderness for years to come.

Antarctic Youth Ambassador: protecting the last great wilderness on earth

by Kunal Verma

4.5 out of 5