THE news that only 10 per cent of the world鈥檚 land is more than 48 hours鈥� surface travel from the nearest city (see 鈥淭ruly remote regions of Earth revealed鈥�) prompts a question: is our high level of connectedness a good or bad thing?
There鈥檚 little doubt that access to hospitals, schools and markets is good for people 鈥� and who would begrudge anyone the fruits of such development? For wildlife, however, the news is bad. Only 20 per cent of the Amazon is more than two days鈥� travel from the nearest city, something that calls 鈥渁larming鈥� because it leaves the forest increasingly open to human interference. With connectedness on an inexorable upward curve everywhere, it is clear that preserving biodiversity is only going to get harder.