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The Greenspace InsiderVolume 2, Number 4 May, 200

Water is life. Without it, lifehuman life and wildlife

is impossible. Water is also an indicator of the healthof the land. Right now, Cambria, parts of California,the United States, and the world are facing a water cri-

sis. Freshwater and seawater resources are limited.Per capita water supplies and other water-dependent

resources are declining as the worlds population in-creases by approximately 80 million people per year.

Caught between limited and increasingly polluted watersupplies and rapidly rising demand from population

growth and development, many cities, states and coun-t r ies face d i f f i cu l t cho ices .

Greenspace wants to illustrate the

important and often overlooked rela-tionships between population growthand environmental degradation in thisissue of the Insider. The lack of fresh

water is one of the major conflicts fac-ing our community at this time. One

of the first casualties of these conflictsis often wildlife, the voiceless segment

and least represented interest groupon our planet and one upon which ourl i ves a re dependent .

Over the course of the 20th century, world population more than

tripled from 2 billion in 1927 to 6 billion in 1999. As the hu-man population continues to grow at an annual growth rate of1.2%, this translates to an increase equal to the combined popu-

lations of California, Texas, and New Jersey each year. Look-ing closer, Cambrias population has increased from 1,700

people in the late 1960s to over 6,000 by the year 2000.Cambrias growth rate, from a percentage point of view, has

exceeded the worlds population growth rate!!

Some 60 percent of the worlds population now lives within

35 miles of a coastline. Through a combination of populationgrowth, migration, and urbanization, this figure is likely to rise

to 75 percent by the year 2020.These trends will certainly affect

our lives in Cambria, and planningfor the consequences of this un-

paralleled growth is critical to ourhealth, welfare, and wildlife.

The destruction of the natural worldwe see locally and across the world

today is fallout from the humanpopulation explosion that has oc-

curred over the course of the last 50 years. In order to sat

the needs and wants of ever-increasing numbers of peophumans chop down forests, bulldoze mountains, div

streams, spray poisons, introduce invasive species, overhvest wild animal populations, and pave over agricultural laand land upon which wild creatures depen

To find a balance among population, water, and wildli

it is essential that we address population growth. Evein the coming decades there is a slowing of the rate

which human population grows, some population growwill occur. The fate of our community, agriculture, fre

water ecosystems, and wildlife depe

heavi ly on the rate of populat i

g rowth in the coming decade

Some thoughts on how to reduce thuman impact on water and wildlife a

POPULATION, WATER AND WILDLIFE Finding a Balance

People and Water

Information Source: National Wildlife Federation Population

and Environment Program Publications and The Audubon

Society

1) Address population growth. W

need to develop local, regional, and ntional policy that recognizes the popu

tion connection as a contributor to freswater, seawater, and wildlife declin

2) Developcommon watershed agendas on

freshwater and seawater manage-

ment. The global nature of problemsrelating to freshwater is increasinglyrecognized both because water flows

across planning areas and politicalboundaries and because conflict be-tween water use and ownership will

increase locally and globally.

3) Adopt national and localsmart water management initia-

tives. Policymakers at all levelsmust be educated on the links be-tween population and water and

the critical need for preservinghealthy freshwater and seawater

ecosystems and biodiversity.

4) Follow a personal waterconservation ethic. We must

follow a water conservation ethicthat recognizes the finiteness of

freshwater and seawater and thedependence of humans and

wi ld l i fe on heal thy waters .

Photo Credit: Audubon

Photo Credit: National Wildlife Federation

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Birdshaveservedasoneofmansmostimportantearlywarningsystems.Birds

havehelpedpredictthechangeof

seasons,thecomingofstorms,thepresenceoflandandsea,andtheriseoftoxiclevelsofpollutioninthefood

chain.Nowbirdsaretellingusthatsomethingisterriblywrongwiththe

environment.Californiahasexperi-enceda40%declineinneotropical

migrantbirdspeciesovera10-yearperiod.Itisouropinionthattheyearroundandmigra-

torybirdpopula- tionofCambria

hasbeenad-verselyaffected

byhabitatlossdrivenbyhumanpopulation

pressure.

formationSource:Population&Habitat,MakingtheConnection,Audubon

CanaryInTheCoalMine

Local Land Conservation Since 1988

Post Office Box 1505Cambria, California 93428

(805) 927-2866 - Phone(805) 927-7530 - Fax

e-mail: rick@GreenspaceCambria.orgwww.GreenspaceCambria.org

U.S. Bulk Rate

PAID

Permit No. 37

Cambria, CA 9342

Non-Profit Organizat