BIODIVERSITY: WHY WE MUST PROTECT AND RESTORE THE SAVANNAH WE’VE LOST..

The Savannah in Africa is credited to being the cradle for human evolution, and their counterparts around the world are similarly important for the Economic, Environmental, and Cultural wellbeing.

It’s home to countless and diverse plant and animal species that make up the Savannah ecosystem. But despite the beauty and wonders, the health of savannahs is being threatened by the impacts of climate change. The unfortunate reality is that savannahs have declined over the past decades due to climate change and land conversion.

In the past, savannah conservation has been traditionally overlooked because of its proximity to better known ecosystems like tropical rainforests and coral reefs. But savannahs, which operate similarly to these other systems, are important not only for their abundance of life, but for their Tourism generation, Carbon storage and medicinal plant provision.

And while each restoration project might look a little different based on a savannah’s unique characteristics, popular approaches include:

1. Reintroducing what would be natural disturbances such as fires (through prescribed burns), which are actually critical for plant growth in savannahs. 2. Managing livestock grazing. 3. Reintroducing beneficial herbivores; Eliminating invasive species.

Each one of us can play a role in protecting and restoring savannahs by learning about their importance, appreciating them responsibly, and sharing with others what we’ve learned. It’s not an easy process, but governments, organizations, and communities are spearheading restoration process in savannahs around the world.

Restoration efforts are making sure these ancient ecosystems will be around to support future generations, just as they have for our oldest ancestors.