SIR David Attenborough's 52-year career has led him to the world's most remote habitats to document the lives of plants and animals for us to see and understand.

His steady narrative is loved by millions, and for this reason The British Naturalists' Association presented the Peter Scott Memorial Award to Sir David and made him an honorary fellow at their annual conference held at Forest School in Snaresbrook, Epping Forest last week.

At 81, Sir David's outstanding contribution to our understanding of natural history has been recognised throughout the world. Following the success of his most recent television series, Planet Earth, Sir David is now filming his 21st series focusing on the lives of reptiles and amphibians which is expected to be shown next year and entitled Life in Cold Blood.

Despite his hectic schedule, Sir David was happy to take a day out to attend the British Naturalists' Association's day of lectures and workshops in Epping Forest examining the plants and animals which thrive in the area's unique ecosystem.

The urban-enveloped habitat has the highest remaining concentration of historic pollard trees in Britain - that is trees that have had their branches cut out of the reach of browsing animals - and they are associated with a number of rare insects.

Sir David explained: "Epping Forest contains one of the last patches of pollard trees and it is certainly important, historically and sociologically. It is a place that has been utilised by human beings for 10,000 years."

Surrounded by the dewellings of of seven million people, Epping Forest is also a vital resource for people to establish a relationship with the natural world, a connection which Sir David believes is disappearing from modern life.

During his broadcasting career Sir David has seen the global population rise from 2.5billion to 6.5billion people in only half a century. The nature of humans to want to live in close dimensions means there is enough room for us all, however Sir David believes this human aggregation also poses a great danger.

"People are increasingly cut off from the natural world, from understanding how it works, from recognising what it is, from feeling the beauty and importance of what it does and from recognising that we as human beings are dependent on it," he said.

"Being cut off means people will lose the most important, most rewarding thing in life - an understanding of the intricacies, the complexity, the importance, and the beauty of the natural world, which not only sustains us but keeps us sane."

The fight against global warming depends on this understanding and Sir David believes it will drive people to do the right thing when it comes to protecting the environment.

He said: "People have a deep morality and in the past five years there has been a creeping morality amongst people which leads them to suggest it is wrong to waste energy and I think it is becoming increasingly intolerable for people to see waste.

"It does not mean we should stop flying or stop driving motor cars, but we must stop doing it wastefully and unnecessarily.

"It would be very foolish indeed to think there is no nemesis awaiting us unless we reform our behaviour."

The Government has taken positive steps by forming a department for the environment and putting climate change at the top of the agenda, maintains Sir David, however he said: "The problem is with international agreements and the governments behind them. If the United States of America will not join the Kyoto agreement, we cannot judge the effectiveness of it."

Sir David does believe there is reason for optimism. He said: "Because we as naturalists know that influence in the natural world has an amazing resiliance.

"It is battered by human beings, battered by industrialisation, and battered by rising temperatures, but given the tiniest chance, it will recover, so that gives me hope."