“Large, interconnected landscapes are essential for functional and healthy ecosystems. This ecological principle is at the core of the Nature Needs Half vision and well articulated through the work of the Large Herbivore Network. LHNet’s work to conserve and restore large herbivores and their landscapes is an outstanding example of how the global Nature Needs Half vision can be applied locally to benefit landscapes and communities”, Emily Loose, Director of Communications.

“Today about 10% of the land surface is protected on paper. Even if this is rigorously conserved, this amount is not enough to save more than a modest fraction of wild species…Eventually, and the sooner the better, a higher goal can and should be set. ….let me suggest 50%. Half the world for humanity, half for the rest of life, to create a planet both self-sustaining and pleasant.” E.O. Wilson, The Future of Life, Knopf, 2002

Protecting and interconnecting at least half of the planet, land and water, to support all life on earth is no small vision. Multimedia photojournalist Morgan Heim dives into what this bold, new conservation vision means with an inspiring combination of stunning photographs and powerful interviews.

Nature Needs Half™ for the large herbivores:
What is wild nature, wilderness without the large herbivores? A long, long time ago nature was not managed by man. The whole complex of biotic and a-biotic factors guaranteed huge biodiversity. The large herbivores: wild cattle, horses, bison, deer, wild sheep and goats, together with the beaver - and don’t forget the wild boar “ploughing and scavenging” - freely roamed the Eurasian continent. They lived together with predators and many other species, possibly in unexpected huge numbers. Today, nature management is often the mimicking of former agricultural techniques, such as mowing, cutting etc and in the long term is not sustainable to protect wildlife habitats. Therefore we should give more room to the natural processes, and thus room for one of the most important ecological steering factors: the wild herbivores, including the beaver and wild boar. Making room for these exciting and provocative challenges– vast landscapes, strong ecosystems is an important part of Nature Needs Half.