Biodiversity education resource for ages 8 to 12

Biodiversity: all living things are important

Biodiversity is the variety of all living things on Earth: animals, plants, fungi, microbes, humans... It is also the large number of natural environments: oceans, lakes, mountains, deserts...

One thing is certain: our planet is teeming with life! We know of about two million species and there are even more to be discovered! Incredible, isn't it?

But this natural wealth is fragile. Many human activities destroy or pollute nature. As a result, nearly a million species are endangered.

Things are not looking great, but there are ways to fix it. Everyone can do their part to protect our beautiful planet and its many forms of life, you'll see.

Check out this quick Biodiversity 101 to learn more about biodiversity!

Get more in-depth information about biodiversity at all three levels- genetic, species and ecosystem.

What is biodiversity?

Look around you. Whether in lakes, oceans, forests or the soil, you will see all kinds of living things. Even in the city, there are birds, insects, small mammals such as squirrels, plants, mushrooms and... humans!

Our planet is home to a wide variety of life forms you can see in the Program for the General Status of Species in Canada, and natural environments. It is teeming with biodiversity.

And guess what? Even your stomach is an extraordinary environment: it contains billions of tiny bacteria that help you!

Figure 1 - Biodiversity: variety of life on earth

All different, all important

What is a species? They are a group of living things that look alike, that can reproduce (have babies), and whose babies can also grow up to reproduce.

Within the same species, individuals resemble each other, but they are all unique. Look at humans: we all have different faces! This diversity is important because it allows species to adapt and survive.

For example, suppose that the trees in a maple grove are attacked by a disease. Some will die from it. But others may have slight differences that make it able to survive the disease. This means that as a group of trees, they can survive and allow the forest to regenerate.

A great free service

Every animal and plant is unique and amazing just as they are. When we take care of nature, we help make sure all living things have a home. This makes the world a better place for everyone, including us! We need all these different living things – every little plant, animal, and even bugs – because they each have an important job in nature. The more different kinds of living things there are, the healthier and happier nature will be!

Nature is not only home to these amazing living things, it also gives us many gifts and services that help us in our daily lives. Nature works for us... without us having to pay! Here are some of the services it provides:

• it feeds us: fruit, vegetables, fish, meat... all our food comes from nature
• it provides us with materials: wood, cotton, rubber, paper, and much more
• it heals us: several medicines come from, or copy, the chemical molecules present in plants
• it cleans the air and water: trees purify the air, and wetlands filter river water
• it keeps cities cooler in summer: trees create shade
• it helps us to relax: walking in nature reduces stress and makes us happier

Figure 2 - Examples of the importance of biodiversity

Nature does a lot for us, but we are destroying it... a strange situation.

People take up a lot of space

Every year, there are more and more of us humans. Our needs for food, water, energy and space are constantly growing. To build houses, roads and factories, to produce energy and grow food, we cut down forests and destroy wetlands. In short, we take up space, often by the natural environment. And every time humans take more space, animals and plants lose some of theirs.

On top of that, we often fish, hunt and pick wild plants too much, which makes it hard for some species to survive.

Figure 3 - 5 threats to biodiversity

Polluted habitats

Many human activities create pollution in the environment. They release pollution into the air, water or soil. And when these environments are contaminated, all of nature suffers. Plants don’t grow as well; animals have difficulty reproducing or become ill. If you were asked to swim in a swimming pool full of garbage, would you do it?

The climate is changing, and that changes everything

It's a fact: with climate change, the seasons are changing, and temperatures are rising. Some regions are becoming drier, and others are experiencing less and less snow. There are also more and more storms, floods and forest fires.

Some animals and plants manage to adapt (change how they live) or migrate (move) to other regions. But others can’t keep up with the changes and disappear.

Invasive species alert

An invasive species is a plant or animal that comes from a different place and moves into a new area where it doesn't belong. Sometimes, these travel and end up in a place where they have no natural predators. They start to take the place of species that are there naturally. This is often the fault of humans who transport seeds, insects or animals from one country to another.

In Canada, a small insect from Asia, the emerald ash borer, has destroyed millions of trees. And in the lakes, the zebra mussel is taking over and taking up space that other, native species need. It's a bit like someone invited themselves into your house, took up all the space, emptied your whole fridge... and didn't want to leave!

Figure 4 - Emerald Ash Borer

Species disappearing…forever

Like every human being, every living species is unique... and irreplaceable. When one of them disappears, it's forever. In Canada, just over a hundred species have disappeared. Have you ever seen a passenger pigeon? Yet 200 years ago, there were billions of them in North America! This species was hunted to extinction.

Figure 5 - Passenger Pigeon

And it doesn't end there. A million species spread across the world are in great danger. In Canada, this is the case of the North Atlantic right whale, the St. Lawrence beluga, the monarch butterfly and the boreal caribou.

When a species disappears, the entire balance of nature is disturbed. For example, if there are fewer wolves in a region, the deer and moose population become too high, and they would eat too many plants. The result? There is a lack of food, and the deer and moose die in turn. Everything is connected!

The disappearance of species, bad news for humans

We are totally dependent on nature. The absence of a vital species can cause us major problems.

Bees, for example, are becoming increasingly scarce. Yet it is thanks to the pollen they carry from one flower to another that fruits and certain vegetables can grow. Without these insects, agricultural production could decrease. What about trees, which give us wood, fruit and oxygen, and help reduce pollution? Or plants, which enable us to create medicines: some could disappear without us even knowing they existed. We could lose valuable cures in the future!

Why protect nature?

Nature is beautiful and soothing! Who doesn't like to take a walk in a park or a forest? For that alone, it's worth protecting! But nature is not just a decoration. It is a huge network of life where every living being has its role and allows us to live well on our beautiful planet.

When you think about it, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat... it all comes from nature! If it is healthy, so are we.

Remember, nature is special and deserves our respect just because it exists. We should protect it not only because it gives us useful things, but because it has its own value and beauty.

Acting together

Taking care of nature is not something that can be done by just one person or group! Everyone has to get involved: citizens, governments and businesses. Laws are needed to prevent pollution and the destruction of natural environments, especially those that are very precious, like forests, wetlands and rivers.

The people who live in the areas we want to protect, including the Indigenous peoples, need to be included, because they know their environment well.

In addition, you can also take action to tackle the climate crisis to help protect animals and plants.

Help and protect

When we get involved, we can save a species! About fifty years ago, the Kirtland warbler, a small bird, had almost disappeared from Canada. It could no longer find young pine and oak forests in which to nest. But many of its favourite trees were planted, and today it is back! The plains bison has also been given a helping hand and is now back on the Canadian prairies.

The same goes for natural environments. Creating protected and conserved areas, for example, allows nature to flourish there safely. Banff Park, created in 1885, is one of the best known in Canada! Canada is working to protect 30% of its land and marine areas by 2030.

Figure 6 - Map of Canada’s protected and conserved areas

Every action counts

An excellent way to protect nature is to get out and enjoy it! Admire the plants, animals and landscapes... and take care of them! There are also lots of small actions you can take with the Protect Nature Challenge that will make a big difference:

• pick up your garbage when you are out walking and respect the plants and animals
• do not feed or disturb wild animals
• repair and reuse your items instead of buying new ones
• choose walking or cycling over the car, it reduces pollution... and keeps you fit
• plant native flowers that attract insects, and native trees to help biodiversity

Figure 7 - What can we  do

See how you can preserve biodiversity from your home! Together, we can ensure that life continues to flourish around us. Every little bit helps!