January 2008 — News
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Corwin--Educators Offer Hope in These 'Dark Days' for the Environment
Corwin spoke of what he called "charismatic species syndrome," in which we add value to one species while detracting it from another based solely on our cultural and emotional biases. Save the Pandas, save the tigers ... but not the crocodiles because they are ugly or scary. Such an attitude, he shared, can have devastating consequences.
As the father of a 4-year-old daughter, Corwin expressed great concern that our children will be denied exposure to a wide variety of species, some of which having become extinct during the course of his own television shows. Amphibians are among the most critically affected, with the potential for three thousand species to disappear within the next 2-5 decades, as some experts predict. Such a reality would have catastrophic results. Many of these species are culturally significant, as well as medically relevant, providing chemicals, fungicides and potential treatments for diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's disease, and AIDS.
Corwin at a press Q&A session prior to the keynote
Corwin pointed specifically to the importance of Florida as a uniquely rich and bio-divers area of our country; one that is currently in crisis due to climate change, a rising sea and the effects of an ever-increasing population. But, he added, Florida is also a story of success when it comes to bringing a species back from the edge of extinction, as it did with the American alligator.
Corwin concluded his talk by reiterating the importance of teachers in getting the message of conservation out to those who will be the decision and policy makers of the future. He called on teachers to empower young minds to build a sense of passion and urgency, encouraging them to be conscious, active citizens. "Education isn't about a single person," he said. "It's about a community." That community, according to Corwin, offers the opportunity for the redemption of our species and the reclamation of our habitats.
Corwin promised to continue doing what he does for the environment, making the information accessible to the masses through his television shows and documentaries, as well as the various outlets provided by The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet, but reiterated that what educators do is the most important mission on our planet. "Despite the dark day of conservation," he said, "... there is hope."
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About the author: Chris Riedel is a freelance writer based in Florida. He can be reached at criedel2@cfl.rr.com.
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