In regions where diverse habitats and landscape elements disappeared, where
rivers were canalized, where most of the surface is used, where ecosystems and food
webs are fragmented, and only small populations of the natural species pool outlast,
artificial constructions in new habitat islands may help species to survive.
Many constructions such as birdhouses, insect hotels, green walls and roofs,
pollarded trees, toad fences, bridges for deer crossing, or wintering grounds for
bats are already established to support wild life. However, these are often established
because of aesthetic reasons, to enjoy the nature, to use nature, and to prevent dead
animals and avoid car accidents.
Would it be possible to stronger focus on species conservation? What information
do we need to support or re-introduce rare or endangered species e.g. in intensively
used industrial, urban or agricultural landscapes? How could we effectively invest
money with the goal to increase the diversity and mass of native insects or to
complete the food web at special sites?
Would the artificial establishment of a vertical wall of loam in a river valley
support insects or kingfishers which need such walls as habitat, even if most natural
undercut banks are already replaced by dams or other hydraulic structures?
Concrete questions of such BCE project might be the following.
1. Which species, habitats or species assemblages are regionally threatened?
Answers and solutions may be discussed with relevant authorities and NGOs
on the basis of Red Lists.
2. How can we help these species with additional constructions in a pauperized
landscape, to reduce pressure on critical segments of their life cycle? Clearly, it is
necessary to know much about the ecology of the target species or target habitat.
3. Which private or public site can be used for such a project? An adequate site
should be searched together with regional authorities.
4. How much money is needed to initiate such a project and to be successful also in
the long run? This question depends on the primary goal. Should the site support
natural succession and wilderness, or should a habitat be established which
regularly needs tending strategies? Should the process and success professionally
be monitored afterwards?
5. How useful is it to respect and include the benevolence of the public, landscape
aesthetics and citizen science?
Such a project shows that BCE can be creative, proactive and must not always
follow the idea of restrictions and historical conditions as template of optimality.
3 Conclusion
Even if there was no explicit environmental education in the times prior to the
twentieth century, communication, education and learning from the nature was all
the time important for survival, avoidance of pain and wellbeing. It can be assumed
that the amount of knowledge about the environment dramatically increased caused
History of Environmental Communication and Education
67
rivers were canalized, where most of the surface is used, where ecosystems and food
webs are fragmented, and only small populations of the natural species pool outlast,
artificial constructions in new habitat islands may help species to survive.
Many constructions such as birdhouses, insect hotels, green walls and roofs,
pollarded trees, toad fences, bridges for deer crossing, or wintering grounds for
bats are already established to support wild life. However, these are often established
because of aesthetic reasons, to enjoy the nature, to use nature, and to prevent dead
animals and avoid car accidents.
Would it be possible to stronger focus on species conservation? What information
do we need to support or re-introduce rare or endangered species e.g. in intensively
used industrial, urban or agricultural landscapes? How could we effectively invest
money with the goal to increase the diversity and mass of native insects or to
complete the food web at special sites?
Would the artificial establishment of a vertical wall of loam in a river valley
support insects or kingfishers which need such walls as habitat, even if most natural
undercut banks are already replaced by dams or other hydraulic structures?
Concrete questions of such BCE project might be the following.
1. Which species, habitats or species assemblages are regionally threatened?
Answers and solutions may be discussed with relevant authorities and NGOs
on the basis of Red Lists.
2. How can we help these species with additional constructions in a pauperized
landscape, to reduce pressure on critical segments of their life cycle? Clearly, it is
necessary to know much about the ecology of the target species or target habitat.
3. Which private or public site can be used for such a project? An adequate site
should be searched together with regional authorities.
4. How much money is needed to initiate such a project and to be successful also in
the long run? This question depends on the primary goal. Should the site support
natural succession and wilderness, or should a habitat be established which
regularly needs tending strategies? Should the process and success professionally
be monitored afterwards?
5. How useful is it to respect and include the benevolence of the public, landscape
aesthetics and citizen science?
Such a project shows that BCE can be creative, proactive and must not always
follow the idea of restrictions and historical conditions as template of optimality.
3 Conclusion
Even if there was no explicit environmental education in the times prior to the
twentieth century, communication, education and learning from the nature was all
the time important for survival, avoidance of pain and wellbeing. It can be assumed
that the amount of knowledge about the environment dramatically increased caused
History of Environmental Communication and Education
67