Environmental activist Jo Ripley and several others from the Marlborough area community travelled to Bath last weekend to join a mock ‘funeral for nature’, aiming to highlight the enormity of the global biodiversity loss.
Fronted by wildlife presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin the event centred on a procession, led by over 400 of the Red Rebel Brigade, in turn followed by hundreds of mourners in black.
“It’s easy to look out over our rolling downs, and appreciate our woodland and the magnificent Savernake forest and feel all’s well,” noted Jo, “but, as Chris Packham reminded us, the UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.”
Packham addressed the gathering calling upon all to fight to restore and repair their natural word with some urgency and to halt the decline in global biodiversity – “Do you want to wait until you’re attending the real funeral for nature – because it’s coming fast” he pointed out, and restated the need to shut down fossil fuels and transition to renewables as rapidly as possible.
Caroline Smith, who attended with her sister, Jane and her 9 yr old daughter, from the Pewsey Vale, said that Packham’s words resonated strongly, reflecting their concern for the world that will be inherited by the young of today.
“He spells it out clearly – that we must ensure that we have sustainable ecosystems in the future – on which we all ultimately depend. In my lifetime I’ve noticed the decline in numbers of butterflies and birds – those I saw and heard when I was young are rarely if at all present in our land and soundscape anymore.”
Jo’s final comment was “Packham was clear in his message that there’s hope and time if we all take action in a myriad of ways. We are but one drop in the ocean but many drops become a puddle and a force to reckon with!”
Marlborough Market – letter from Martin Gibson, trader at the market
