"Half-Earth" proposes an achievable plan to save our imperiled biosphere: devote half the surface of the Earth to nature.

In order to stave off the mass extinction of species, including our own, we must move swiftly to preserve the biodiversity of our planet, says Edward O. Wilson in his most impassioned book to date. "Half-Earth" argues that the situation facing us is too large to be solved piecemeal and proposes a solution commensurate with the magnitude of the problem: dedicate fully half the surface of the Earth to nature.

In May 2013, students from all over the country came to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve near New Orleans, Louisiana, for a National Park Service/National Geographic BioBlitz. Together, they developed a sense of awe about the natural world as they worked together with volunteer scientists, teachers, and other community members to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, microbes, fungi, and other organisms as possible within the 24-hour event.