Despite biodiversity being vital in providing the air we breathe and the food we eat, over half of people in London (59%) admit they know very little about it or how to sustain it. And if that’s not concerning enough, demonstrating an alarming knowledge gap, nearly one in three people in London (32%) go as far as to say they don’t believe biodiversity is actually an important issue.

Published at a time when biodiversity is decreasing at an unprecedented rate globally, these are the worrying findings coming out of a new independent, nationally representative study, conducted on behalf of biodiversity experts BioScapes®.

Put simply, biodiversity is all the different kinds of life on earth and defines the interaction between organisms.  Sustaining biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on earth, including human. Without a wide range of animals, plants and microorganisms we cannot have the healthy ecosystems that provide us with oxygen and food, through pollination, seed dispersal, water purification, climate regulation and pest control.

Terry Smithson, Lead Ecologist at BioScapes, said: “The findings of our study are significant as they highlight a lack of knowledge of biodiversity in the UK and therefore an inability for people to proactively make simple positive changes. Despite the efforts of governments and environmental champions such as David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg, humans’ domination of our world is continuing to cause rapid ecosystem change and mass loss in biodiversity, at an alarming rate.”
BioScapes’ independent research also reveals that a huge four in five people (80%) say what prevents them from doing their bit to help sustain biodiversity is they don’t know how – they don’t have the tools and resources they imagine they would need – and they just don’t have the time to think about it.

Terry Smithson added: “Without sounding like a supermarket slogan, every little helps. It really is within our power to make choices, on an individual level, to help ensure the survival of species and the health and integrity of ecosystems. We need to realise, by taking even small steps to promote biodiversity, we are also helping ourselves. Immersion in wildlife is also proven to boost mental and physical wellbeing.  For example, the current trend for artificial turf lawns may be a low maintenance option for busy people, but they provide a very low-quality habitat for busy bees.”

Mother Nurture
BioScapes’ data reveals that men are more apathetic towards biodiversity, and less likely to change their habits to support it, than women. Nearly four in ten (37%) say they don’t think it is important, compared to just one in four (25%) of women.  Additionally, men cite a lack of free time to devote to supporting biodiversity as the biggest barrier, with one in four (25%) highlighting this issue, compared to fewer than one in five (18%) women.

Hope for the underrated youth?
The new data also shows that Gen Z are significantly less engaged with biodiversity and the importance of protecting it, compared to their parents. Just over half (51%) of 18-24-year-olds think preserving biodiversity is an important issue, compared to nearly four in five (78%) 45-54 year-olds.
Similarly, only 39% of young adults and 51% of 45-54 year-olds admit that although they know biodiversity is important, they don’t know much about the issue generally.
Terry Smithson added: “At BioScapes, our primary objective is to help offset the negative impact of biodiversity loss and preach the message of boosting biodiversity across the UK.  We’re working closely with a number of schools, housing developers and garden centres to rewild areas by installing our innovative, self-contained eco-systems – Biocube, NatureArk and WildPod – which not only provide a tangible benefit to biodiversity in the short-term, but also educate different generations about its importance and how they can do their bit to support it.
“These findings highlight a persisting lack of education and awareness of biodiversity in 2022, particularly across the younger generations, disappointingly, as they are in a position to have the biggest positive impact in the longer term.”