The worldwide populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish fell by an average of 68 percent between 1970 and 2016, according to the 2020 Living Planet Report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Ecosystem destruction has led to 1 million species — 500,000 animals and plants and 500,000 insects — being under threat of extinction.
This is a serious problem that different groups and organizations are hoping to improve through a number of conservation strategies. For instance, in Scotland, one of Europe's least wooded countries at 19 percent compared to the continental average of 37 percent, an alliance of 22 environmental organizations called Scottish Rewilding Alliance wants to make Scotland the world's first "rewilding nation." The goal is to help the small country reintroduce native species, restore degraded land and connect more people with nature.
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