Today is the World Biodiversity Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2000 to celebrate the adoption of the "Convention on Biological Diversity", a treaty adopted in 1992 to protect the variety of living things. It is celebrated every year on May 22 and is, in fact, dedicated to the defense and protection of biodiversity. On a global scale, the main contributors to biodiversity loss are the profound changes that the territory undergoes through the intervention of man in his daily occupations and the excessive over-exploitation of natural resources.
Soil loss due to urbanization, hydrogeological instability, excessive industrialization of agricultural practices, denaturalization of large areas and habitat loss are among the main threats to the environment and the animal species that inhabit it. Contrary to what we think or want to think, hunting is in the last place among the risks for biodiversity and even in this case it would be more correct to speak of poaching and not the hunting activity regulated and carried out in a sustainable way as happens in Europe and in our country. Hunting, on the other hand, has an extremely positive role in the protection of biodiversity and Italian and European hunters, as the president of FACE recently recalled, the Federation of European hunting associations within which the Italian Federation of Hunting also sits, are aware of the significant impact of agriculture and other land uses on many huntable species in Europe and they are particularly concerned about the populations of many small game species.
The efforts of hunters at European level are aimed at ensuring that the European Union, through its next Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), devotes greater commitment and attention to biodiversity, and in particular to species most at risk. However, the commitment of the hunters is not only political. Numerous, over 300, are the ongoing projects carried out by hunters, 40% of which in Natura 2000 sites - which are not, as some believe, "plastered" areas like parks, but areas to be actively managed -, concentrating above all on environmental restoration actions. “Many are unaware that hunters across the hunting territories are involved in the management of 70% of the Italian territory - said the president of Federcaccia Massimo Buconi on the occasion of the day.
The extraordinary wealth of biodiversity that characterizes our nation is also the result of their work and commitment. For this reason, Biodiversity Day is a day of celebration for all of us too. A healthy, balanced, lively and vital environment is good for the whole of society. A good that we all enjoy and that we must all contribute to preserving. We do it every day all year round, with ethics, science and knowledge. Sometimes alone, others alongside, for example, farmers and breeders. And we are extremely proud of this. But even if we do a lot, we are aware that it is still not enough. The commitment is to do even more ”.