Iconic species – the panda, the tiger, the bald eagle, and even the small but spectacular corroboree frog – have been the vehicle for spreading the environment message. That message can change and become more subtle.
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| Photo © Ryan Rayburn/World Bank |
Mr Zoellick’s message at the launch of the Tiger Initiative in 2008 focused on integrating “environmental concerns ... into the mainstream of development and operational plans”. His statement in relation to the National Geographic’s “Vanishing Icons” photo exhibit (in the World Bank headquarter's atrium in DC) advanced the discussion to the tiger’s “largely untapped potential to spur balanced development”. The conditions and actions needed to improve the habitat of the tiger are closely related to those needed to improve the livelihoods of local communities and vice versa.
Some plant communities are emerging as iconic ecosystems. The mangroves are the best example. Their role as a habitat and breeding ground for so many species, as a resource for local people and in coastal protection are listed again and again. They feature in the recent WRI publication “Banking on Nature’s Assets” which forcefully makes the case that Multilateral Development Banks can strengthen development by using ecosystem services and describes some of the case studies and tools we have to help do this.
But we are also seeing the emergence of “iconic case studies” and this is a concern to me.
