Picture: Scott Shigley

Written by Pamela Conrad

The world has lost 60 percent of animal populations since 1970. This staggering decline reflects the growing pressures on ecosystems, from habitat destruction to climate change. And 1 million species now face threats of extinction. As these problems continue to escalate, the importance of preserving biodiversity and restoring ecosystems becomes clearer.

The term biodiversity – which means the variety of all life on Earth – is new to many. But it has been present in the work of landscape architects for decades.

There are key ways we can increase biodiversity: