Friends of the Earth to host environment crisis meeting in Leighton Buzzard

There's a butterfly emergency in England after this summer's Big Butterfly Count revealed a marked and hugely concerning decline in numbers.

Friends of the Earth are holding a meeting at Trinity Methodist Church in North Street to discuss the crisis in wildlife and biodiversity and what we, councils and the government can all do to help.

It’s being organised by the South Bedfordshire branch and takes place on Monday, October 21 from 7.30 – 9.15pm.

There’s already a butterfly emergency after the summer’s Big Butterfly Count showed a marked and hugely concerning decline in numbers – and England is widely considered to be one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world

But Friends of the Earth say there are significant local, national and international commitments to stop the decline in nature and restore it.

The Friends of the Earth poster for the meeting addressing the crisis in wildlife and biodiversity and what we can all do to help.

COP16 - The United Nations Biodiversity Conference – starts on October 21 and locally Central Bedfordshire Council is consulting on its new Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

One of the speakers at the meeting is Paul De Zylva, who is senior nature campaigner for Friends of the Earth. He will be talking about the state of nature and wildlife and what governments, council and the local community can do.

Richard James will be explaining how the council is designing a local nature recovery strategy for the whole of Bedfordshire and how the council will be working with landowners, local communities and individual residents to restore nature in the county.

Friends of the Earth spokesperson Ken Barry said: “Although nature is in crisis with falling numbers of butterflies, bees, and other insects, there is so much going on to restore it and so much we, as individuals, can do.

"As David Attenborough said: “Now is the time for action, and together we can save it.”

Ken added: “This meeting is chance to understand the issues and all the positive ways we can make a difference."

Bees, butterflies and other insects are key for food production, with bees pollinating 75 per cent of all crops.

Leighton Buzzard residents are being urged to fill in the council survey on shaping priorities for restoring nature. It can be found at https://bedslocalnaturerecoverystrategy.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/shortlisting-priorities/step1 and is open until October 20.

> More information about the meeting at [email protected] or call 07815 817 108.

Friends of the Earth to host environment crisis meeting in Leighton Buzzard

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