New species: the richness of nature

We know a lot about creation, but a lot we do not know. The enormous diversity of creation is well-known. There are numbers and numbers of living species. Around one million described. How many undescribed - another million or two? New species are discovered all the time - contrary to what most people think. Most of them small. Like insects or worms. Most people seem to think that we have discovered all the "large" or "higher" species, like mammals or birds. But we still discover new ones. And a considerable number - small and large - will undoubtly go extinct before we even discover them.

An illustration of this is a website I happened to see: http://marcvanroosmalen.org/newspecies.htm
Marc (a dutchman like myself by origin) works in the Amazonas. He describes a considerable number of new species he has discovered. Sea cows, pigs, monkeys, tapirs etc. A number of them are rare, and threatened with extinction. Marc uses his discoveries to stimulate preservation, as he states on his website: "My goal as a field biologist is to use new species as an ethical means to save entire ecosystems in the Amazon."

Have a look at his site and have again confirmed the diversity of creation and the urgent need of conservation. Do whatever you can for protecting the Amazonas and other precious natural environments!

Hemavan 50 years

Not only did I reach 50 years of age in July, so did the church guesthouse in Hemavan, our own "Mission Post" in the area. Saturday and Sunday I will be there for the official celebration of 50 years in Hemavan. Started in 1957 as a simple small house, we now have a beatiful guesthouse with many different activities going on. The Mission Covenant Church president Göran Zettergren will come. You are welcome as well on Sunday 11.00 for the Celebration Service. But of course you can come any time and spend some days there. Walking in the mountains in summer or skieing in the winter.
www.smufjallgard.nu

Hemavan

It was too long since I wrote. Have been in Hemavan in the southern Lappland mountains for 1 week. Hiking, going down in caves and as usual take a look at the beautiful orchid Gymnadenia runei. This orchid was discovered in the seventies and it is only found here on one mountain slopes as well as in one or two places nearby. Must be one of the rarest flowers in Europe. I can't write the exact place here but if you join next years Flora and Geology week in Hemavan I might guide you to the place...

This year there were extremely many flowering. Beautiful as ever. For me a symbol for the diversity of creation.