proteas in the cape floristic kingdom, one of the most biodiverse and threatened kingdoms“The year 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and Conservation. The Biodiversity Expo 2010 was designed to address the failure of many South Africans to recognise the true value of biodiversity. The Expo serves as a communication and education tool to reach those South Africans who will be responsible for the future of our countries environmental wealth.”

Biodiversity Expo 2010 had more than 30 conservation exhibitors. Exhibitions focused on various conservation issues ranging from threatened species to calculating your carbon footprint.

A strong theme of the Biodiversity Expo 2010 was communicating biodiversity value through art, where art is used to communicate the value of biodiversity through displays, with music provided by Avril Kinsey. Her beautiful guitar melodies are inspired by nature. She used sea shells and porcupine quills to provide interesting effects on her guitar mimicking nature. She was followed by Vernon Barnard and Brittany Dilkes, and their musical recital demonstrated that Music's in our Nature.

After this, there was the Jungle Theatre's performance of Hoerikwaggo - a fun, interactive, educational play focusing on the importance of Table Mountain as an example of biodiversity and cultural diversity. Concentrating on this natural environment we understand how to appreciate and conserve our mountain with particular focus on indigenous flora, the diversity of animal life and guidelines on how to appreciate and conserve the mountain. Drawing from Khoi San, Cape Malay and Dutch history and mythology, the play illustrates to the audience how disparate backgrounds and cultures have formed South Africa's rich history

This was followed by Dr Guy Midgley, head of SANBI’s Climate Change and Bio-Adaptation Division, who was part of the team that was co-awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore in 2007, who gave a talk providing his perspective on the challenges that lie ahead following the conclusion of the climate change discussions in Copenhagen.

However, it was the live animals that were the biggest hits with the children and adults alike. Being able to touch a tarantula and have it crawl on your arm may freak out many, but for the curious, their feathery tickling was a memorable experience. Other hits were the raptors and snakes which drew large crowds to their stands.

In the foyer were children's exhibits. The result of a joint venture between SANBI, Ibhabhatane and Frank Joubert Art Centre which sees young South Africans displaying their artworks based on their artistic interpretation of the scientific concept of biodiversity. That is no simple definition and they were given the full scientific definition, and came out with some amazing pieces of artwork.

There were many stalls highlighting the biodiversity in South Africa and the plight that many species face in our country. South Africa has the third highest level of biodiversity in the world. Cape Town lies at the heart of the Cape Floristic Kingdom, the smallest and richest (it has the highest proportion of endemic and endangered species) and the most threatened of the worlds 6 floral kingdoms.

Biodiversity is important as it is a resource, and many of our raw materials for things we want and need come out of biodiversity. Biodiversity keeps the ecosystem in balance, providing good and services for both other organisms and humans, and underpins society's security and survival on this earth, particularly in a time of global climate change.

So try to take note of the many different plants and animals you are surrounded by. Many may be small but are still a very important part of the ecosystem.