Dr Richard Benwell's Letter

Dear Robin,

There are things in our history that my generation look back on with dismay. Colonialism, exploitation, slavery – they may not be completely gone, but we’re lucky that we can say that they’re becoming a thing of the past.

My hope for you is that you can look back and see humanity’s mistreatment of nature in the same light. That your children will ask themselves how could they have lived like that, taking more from Nature than the Earth had to give?

We’re very fortunate to live in a wonderful corner of England and I’m thrilled that, at three, you already know your swifts from your swallows. But not everyone is so lucky. There are already millions of people disconnected from nature and threatened by climate change. Unless our society changes, and unless our leaders take decisive action for climate and nature now, then the future of our natural world is in grave trouble.

Let’s hope these #LettersToTomorrow make a difference and that, by the time your children are learning to read, the lesson on Ecological Crisis is less current affairs and more Horrible Histories.

Dr Richard Benwell
Chief Executive, Wildlife & Countryside Link