To mark International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May, CIEL member Jonas Byström published a smartphone booklet entitled Herbal History. It matches quotes concerning nature — from Aristotle to Pope Francis by way of Victor Hugo — with photographs created from the exhibits of a 1950s herbarium (a collection of dried and preserved plants, usually with notes concerning the species or other botanical information). As Jonas notes, “We are now losing nature faster than it can restore itself, and the signs of irreversible and irreparable damage are accumulating”. His intention is to “raise awareness about the need to change and act now, before it is too late.” The subtle and delicate images which Jonas has produced from this unique source wonderfully reflects both the beauty and fragility of the natural world upon which we depend for our very survival. Click on the image or the book title above to visit Jonas’s website and download the free booklet.