Leiden Science - Universiteit Leiden’s Post

🌿 Let nature surprise you 🌿 'Give organisms like plants and animals the freedom to move, interact, and meet their own needs, and they will thrive on their own,' says Professor Geert de Snoo.   His message? Let go. Nature management often means controlling landscapes to match past ideals—removing trees to preserve heathland, or eradicating non-native species to protect native ones. Despite good intentions, biodiversity continues to decline. In the Netherlands, butterfly populations have dropped by 56% since 1992 (CBS). According to De Snoo, looking back isn’t the way forward. Today’s ecosystems face different conditions. What if, instead of forcing a specific outcome, we stepped back? ✅ Give species space ✅ Accept change ✅ Be open to surprises It’s a more relaxed, yet radically hopeful approach: stop micromanaging, and let nature show us what it’s capable of. Read more in the comments ⬇️