THIS IS OUR MOMENT

land and water resources, production of climate-warming gases, and use of pesticides are driving an all-out assault on life on Earth. But thanks to the work of Dr. Wilson and others, the solution is also at hand. We have the knowledge on which to base wise decisions for species and people, and we continue to add to that knowledge.

Now, it is up to us. We must act with urgency and in collaboration with each other.

We all know that we are at a pivotal moment for our planet’s health—the headlines make that clear. That is why the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation is embarking on a campaign for the Half-Earth Project to fuel the strategic growth of existing programs and build capacity for an important new phase of work to:

 Deepen scientific understanding of life on earth;

 Convene people and communities to reimagine our relationship with nature;

 Inspire action to leave no species behind.

If we want to maintain a livable Earth, we must not let up. With great intention, we must continue to advance the work of those who have come before us and support and engage the next generation of great minds working to protect our planet. Together, we can embrace the path to half and win this race. This is OUR moment.

E.O. Wilson’s Leadership and Legacy

Edward Osborne Wilson (1929–2021) is widely considered one of the greatest natural scientists of our time. He was a pioneer in efforts to preserve and protect the biodiversity of our planet, receiving more than 150 international awards, including Pulitzer Prizes for his books On Human Nature and The Ants

The concept of Half-Earth is rooted in research originally conceived by Dr. Wilson and Robert MacArthur in the 1950s. Their groundbreaking discovery, called the Theory of Island Biogeography, revealed that larger areas of habitat support a greater diversity of life in a mathematically predictable way. Some 70 years later, the theory has been borne out by a variety of studies in different environments and the basic principles of this theory still underpin the world’s understanding of the minimum areas of land and water that are needed for the bulk of species to survive.

Dr. Wilson spoke about the urgent need for broader research and understanding of life on our planet to protect key species and avoid unintended destruction of the ecosystems that sustain us all. He said, “The earth is our home. Unless we preserve the rest of life, as a sacred duty, we will be endangering ourselves by destroying the home in which we evolved, and on which we completely depend.”

Dr. Wilson devoted his life to teaching us how to appreciate nature in its many forms. His unbridled curiosity about the world transformed the imaginations of countless students and budding naturalists. His recent passing affords a singular moment to carry the torch forward for biodiversity, making science and discovery relevant for new constituencies while recognizing the urgency of achieving bold conservation outcomes now.

Dr. Wilson’s legacy as a world leader in conservation and biodiversity protection persists through the work of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation and the Half-Earth Project and through the next generation, who are now taking the lead and moving us forward. Dr. Wilson did so much to help us understand the natural world. But now it is up to us.