"Human beings are probably the worst species imaginable to be tasked with saving Earth..."

So are you thinking that dogs, whales, or kangaroos would be better at handling the job? Don't even say cats! Or can't you face the fact that every human being is self conscious and self interested, and that can't be changed? Over 5,000 years of recorded human history is all the proof you need of that.

Speaking of history, The Great Adirondack Fire of April 1903 in New York burned 600,000 acres, mostly in Adirondack State forest, to the ground. It killed every single fish in Big Moose Lake. Both the forest and the lake are healthy and beautiful now, and New York State has a 65% forest cover versus less than 20% at the time of the fire.