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What Is Rewilding?

时间:2022-12-15 02:42:24

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What Is Rewilding?

Animal and plant species are disappearing at frightening levels. The problem has led to efforts to "rewild" places where such life existed before human development, pollution and climate change forced it out.

The American city of Detroit, Michigan is an example of how human actions can increase rewilding, whether on purpose or not.

What is rewilding?

Up to 1 million animal species are at risk of dying off, says a 2019 United Nations report.

The U.S. Forest Service estimates 2,428 hectares of open space are lost daily as cities and suburbs grow. More than two-thirds of the world's people will live in urban areas by 2050, the U.N. says.

This expectation has led some large cities – such as Detroit – to begin rewilding. Rewilding generally means helping1 natural systems in damaged locations. That might mean removing dams or building tunnels to reconnect animal pathways cut by roads. Workers also sometimes reenter animals to an area. Predators2, such as wolves, can help reestablish balance to an environment, for example.

Detroit

Detroit's population reached a high of 1.8 million in the 1950s. Then the population began dropping. By 2000, there were fewer than one million people living in the city. Thousands of houses and other buildings were left empty over the years. Some structures were destroyed, leaving empty areas that plants and animals regained3 as habitats. Nonprofit groups have planted trees, community gardens and pollinator-friendly plants in these areas also.

Special projects brought back birds of prey4 such as ospreys and peregrine falcons5.

Bald eagles found their way back as bans on DDT and some other insect poisons were put in place nationwide. Anti-pollution laws and government-supported cleanups made nearby rivers better for fish, beavers6 and native plants, such as wild celery.

John Hartig of University of Windsor was the former head of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. He described Detroit as a great example of urban rewilding. He says the process has been organic as opposed to planned. "We created the conditions, things got better environmentally, and the native species came back," he said.

The refuge, a half-hour's drive from downtown, is made up of 30 areas of land totaling 2,509 hectares. It includes islands, wetlands and former industrial sites. It is home to 300 bird species and is a busy visiting place for ducks, raptors and others during migration7, said Manager Dan Kennedy.

To Yale University wildlife biologist Nyeema Harris, Detroit offers a special way to study plants and animals in urban settings.

Unlike most big cities, its population is decreasing but its streets, buildings and other infrastructure8 remain in place.

And there are many kinds of habitats, including large lakes, rivers and human neighborhoods - some occupied, others mostly unoccupied. Harris also noted9 Detroit's parklands, which she described as so quiet "you don't even know you're in the city."

"It used to be that you had to go to some remote location to get exposure to nature," said Harris. "Now that's not the case. Like it or not, rewilding will occur. The question is, how can we prepare communities and environments and societies to anticipate the presence of more and more wildlife?"

Around the world

Detroit is not the only city involved in rewilding.

The German cities of Hannover, Frankfurt and Dessau-Rosslau set aside areas, including parkland and waterways, where nature could take its course. As native wildflowers have appeared, so too have birds, butterflies, bees, and hedgehogs.

Britain's capital, London, is carrying out a huge effort to rewild the city. Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the plan last year. It includes support for 45 projects to improve the environment for stag beetles10, water voles and birds such as swifts and sparrows.

Nathalie Pettorelli of the Zoological Society of London said, "Climate change is coming, and we are facing an equally important biodiversity crisis...There's no better place to engage people on these matters than in cities."

She added, "A lot of city people have lost their tolerance11 to live with wildlife....There's a lot more reteaching ourselves to be done. To really make a difference in tackling the biodiversity crisis, you're going to have to have people on board."

Words in This Story

species – n. biology : a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus

pollinator—n. creatures (such as bees) that give (a plant) pollen12 from another plant of the same kind so that seeds will be produced

anticipate -- v. to think of (something that will or might happen in the future)

biodiversity—n. the existence of many different kinds of plants and animals in an environment

tolerance – n. the ability to accept, experience, or survive something


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1 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
2 predators 48b965855934a5395e409c1112d94f63     
n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 );奴役他人者(尤指在财务或性关系方面)
参考例句:
  • birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
  • The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》
3 regained 51ada49e953b830c8bd8fddd6bcd03aa     
复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地
参考例句:
  • The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
  • She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻,但很快恢复了镇静。
4 prey g1czH     
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨
参考例句:
  • Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
  • The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。
5 falcons 1090843cfc7d8664c201d9881ebf16b9     
n.猎鹰( falcon的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Peregrine falcons usually pluck the feathers and strip the flesh off their bird prey. 游隼捕到鸟类猎物时,通常是先拔掉它们的羽毛,再把肉撕下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Though he doubted the wisdom of using falcons, Dr. de la Fuente undertook the project. 虽然德·拉·富恩特博士怀疑使用游隼是否明智,但他还是执行了这项计划。 来自辞典例句
6 beavers 87070e8082105b943967bbe495b7d9f7     
海狸( beaver的名词复数 ); 海狸皮毛; 棕灰色; 拼命工作的人
参考例句:
  • In 1928 some porpoises were photographed working like beavers to push ashore a waterlogged mattress. 1928年有人把这些海豚象海狸那样把一床浸泡了水的褥垫推上岸时的情景拍摄了下来。
  • Thus do the beavers, thus do the bees, thus do men. 海狸是这样做的,蜜蜂是这样做的,人也是这样做的。
7 migration mDpxj     
n.迁移,移居,(鸟类等的)迁徙
参考例句:
  • Swallows begin their migration south in autumn.燕子在秋季开始向南方迁移。
  • He described the vernal migration of birds in detail.他详细地描述了鸟的春季移居。
8 infrastructure UbBz5     
n.下部构造,下部组织,基础结构,基础设施
参考例句:
  • We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
  • We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设,发展各类群众文化。
9 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
10 beetles e572d93f9d42d4fe5aa8171c39c86a16     
n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来,然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
11 tolerance Lnswz     
n.宽容;容忍,忍受;耐药力;公差
参考例句:
  • Tolerance is one of his strengths.宽容是他的一个优点。
  • Human beings have limited tolerance of noise.人类对噪音的忍耐力有限。
12 pollen h1Uzz     
n.[植]花粉
参考例句:
  • Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。
  • He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。

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