Birds, bees and ballots: Swiss voters to decide on plan to bolster country's fragile biodiversity

Swiss voters are casting final ballots on Sunday on a proposal to increase protections for the Alpine country's cherished plant and animal life. The biodiversity initiative, if passed, would set aside more land and waterways as protected areas and compensate farmers and others affected. Supporters say about a third of Switzerland's fauna and flora are threatened or has already vanished. Critics insist passage would cost too much and crimp economic development prospects. Statistics from the OECD, a think tank uniting many rich countries, show Switzerland ranks among the top four countries with the highest rates of threatened species.