Why Protect Biodiversity?

Apart from an inherent obligation to live as harmoniously as possible with other organisms on this planet, humans also gain many economic and social advantages from biodiversity. 

These benefits, also called  Ecosystem Services, include

• nutrient recycling that promotes healthy soils, enabling crops to grow

• natural resources such as building materials

• mental well-being improved by being in areas of natural beauty

• removal of harmful pollutants

• shade and shelter

Healthy, diverse communities are essential to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and it is difficult to predict how the loss of any one particular species will affect an ecosystems ability to function. Ultimately, as species are lost from a habitat, the stability of the ecosystem declines until it can no longer function.  By protecting biodiversity, we maintain a resilient environment that allows us to be happy, protected and prosperous.