If humans evolved in a tiny area of Africa, they only saw plants and animals within a 100-kilometre radius for a million years. When they began to migrate, there would have been different animals and plants - and potentially a lot of allergy issues.

I saw that animals were important. I saw that plants were even more important. I was also to learn that compared to many of the other species, we weren't important at all except for the damage we do. We do not rule the natural world, despite our conspicuous position in it. On the contrary, it is our lifeline, and we do well to try to understand its rules.

They are the biology of the planet much more than plants and animals.

It's actually a very ancient antiviral pathway, because it is found in animals and plants. We're just making sure it's turned on.

It helps firm up the shoreline. The plants and animals have adapted to it.

It has some rare plants, rare animals and rare trees. It's really exciting to be able to protect that.