Since humans started manipulating the world, there have been tremendous changes to Earth’s habitats. Stretching back to our ancient history, from clearing trees for agriculture and mining to the building of cities and roads, Nature has been intensely impacted. By disturbing soil, waterways, geology, and air, plants, animals, and humans have been negatively affected.

Amma says, "The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the home in which we sleep, the sun that gives us energy — we are indebted to Nature for all of these. Our life on this earth is possible only because of the combined effort of all its creatures. The rivers, trees, bees, butterflies and worms all play their part. If they did not exist, we would not exist. There would be no life. If we were to visualize Nature as one tree, then all the creatures would be its roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. The tree becomes whole only as a totality of its various parts. If one part is destroyed, the rest will also soon perish. Without Nature, humankind would not exist."

Many ask, how do we restore our habitats to their natural state, and can we really make a difference?

To begin with, let’s look at what a habitat is. According to the National Geographic Society, the definition of habitat is, “a place where an organism makes its home, meeting all of the environmental requirements for it to survive. This consists of shelter, water, food and space”. Around the world there are many different habitats you might encounter, including forests, deserts, mountain regions, grasslands, lowland swamps, and estuaries, just to name a few. These are further divided by regions which support these naturally occurring communities of living organisms, known as biomes. Plants, trees, animals, birds and insects live together in harmony in these biomes, creating a balanced environment.