Living Elements [antikvár]

* ttll t- ^. FOREWORD Corl-Albrechtvon Treuenfels It is in our hands whether the earth becomes a barren planet or a garden With natxire, not against it! The slogan can be traced like a thread throughout this whole book. From the fine preface by Siegfried Lenz to the chapter on the work of the WWF by Amd Wiinschmann, we leam that we must do everything in our power if we are not to go on until we have ruined our planet completely. We are well on the way to doing such a thorough job of destruction that in the not-too-distant future, there might not be any life left on the earth at aU. A steadily growing number of species of plants and animals that mankind has on his conscience in the course of his increasingly excessive campaign of pillaging makes it ominously clear where the development is leading to. But there is a second - better - form of life on earth for mankind: one in which aU creatures Uve together with one another and for one another. It is the only form that offers them, and thus also us, a chance of survival. Since 1961, the WWF has been making a growing contribution to ensuring that the vital elements of life are preserved, and with them the natural basis of life, not least for mankind himself Preserving, promoting, and maldng such moderate use of the biological variety on our earth that it is able continually to regenerate itself by its own efforts: that is the motif that guides the WWF in its work. 1 am glad that the environmental foundation WWF Germany, which is one of the present total of 27 national organisations within the biggest private foimdation for nature conservation in the world, is able to increase its contribution to protecting our nature from one year to the next. In Germany (and the most recent development is that there are now also the first small joint projects in East Germany) and in many other countries. Even so, our joint efforts are far from being sufflcient. Wherever we look, there are so many beautiful and unique aspects of nature that are in mortal peril. Too much has already been destroyed and vriped out for us to cherish the fond hope that nature will And its ovm solution. We only need to look at the disappearing tropical forests to realise that the situation is different. This book, with so many splendid and impressive pictures, which give a small iiidication of what Mfe on our planet consists of; is intended as a public relations effort for natin-e, and it is to be hoped that it will motivate every single person who looks at the pictures and reads the text to become personally committed to protecting this nature. The work of the WWF needs broad support. It is only by a joint effort, and also in collaboration with other organisations, that we can preserve all the elements of our life. Carl-Albrechtvon Treuenfels TheChairmonofthe Executive Committee UmweitsliftijngWWF-Deutschlond