WHY SHOULD NATURE
only have worth if it does something for us? Just how self-obsessed are we? In any case, this approach falls flat on its face when presented with the corncrake or great yellow bumblebee. Recent studies suggest that most pollination is delivered by just 2% of the bee species in an area – the common ones, as you might guess. Economically, great yellow bumblebees are utterly inconsequential; they probably contribute a tiny bit to the pollination of a few garden vegetables on crofts in the Uists. In truth neither corncrakes nor great yellow bumblebees – nor a great many other plants or animals – contribute anything meaningful to ecosystem services – we would not be noticeably worse off in any easily measurable way if they were one day to shuffle off – but I for one would consider that a very sad day indeed.