Biodiversity and extinction is rightly in the news. Some folk are taking to the streets. For a less alarmist view this is interesting:biodiversity and land sparing | Matt Ridley

This fellow is involved with open cast coal mines in Northumberland, and is the brains behind the great modern earthwork/earthsculpture, Northumberlandia. When the sculpture opened to the public I spent a while speaking with him without realising who he was. Intelligent and well informed, was my impression.