The rapid loss of species and ecosystems around the world is affecting our country's health, economy and national security according to environmental experts who spoke today at a public forum co-hosted by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Academy of Natural Sciences.

"There is no more important issue for humanity than conserving the biological infrastructure of the planet," said Dr. Thomas E. Lovejoy, a George Mason University professor and the biodiversity chair at the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment.

Panelists discussed how the destruction of natural areas, like rainforests and coral reefs, comes at a tremendous cost to our general well-being. For example, the organic compounds found in plants and animals are used to develop hundreds of medicines that treat conditions including cancer, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and infectious diseases. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that current extinction rates could eliminate at least one prescription drug from entering the market every two years.

Last month, the Global Conservation Act of 2010, H.R. 4959 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives to help combat this destruction. This bipartisan bill would leverage the full strategic and diplomatic resources of the U.S. government behind efforts to address extinction and natural resource depletion worldwide.

"The United States needs to ramp up our efforts to address worldwide resource destruction and species loss," said Jeff Wise, director of the Pew Environment Group's Global Conservation Initiative. "The passage of the Global Conservation Act would help address these critical issues."

Healthy terrestrial and marine ecosystems are critical to food security and disaster prevention. An analysis by David Pimentel at Cornell University concludes that wild species such as birds and insects provide $100 billion worth of pest control services to world agriculture every year. And according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, healthy coral reefs reduce the impact of large storms on coastal populations, a protective function valued at $9 billion a year.

"It's especially important for people to understand that biodiversity drives the ecosystem services on which all life - including all of us - depends," said David Velinsky, Ph.D., vice president of the Academy of Natural Sciences and director of the Patrick Center for Environmental Research, which operates the Center for Environmental Policy. "This program was a great opportunity for the Academy and the Pew Environment Group to join forces on the critical issue of species loss."

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Founded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas. Located in the heart of Philadelphia's cultural district, the Academy is known for its scientific research, collections, exhibitions and educational programs. The Academy's Center for Environmental Policy sponsors programs to enhance public awareness, decision-making and public action on environmental issues.

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The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-governmental organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improve public policy, inform the public and stimulate civic life. http://www.actforconservation.org/