The loss of biodiversity is arguably the greatest threat to ecological and economic sustainability in our time. Whether the goal is to protect and enrich biodiversity for the sake of the environment or to protect our human way of life, the steps required are the same. Humanity cannot exist without our native biodiversity intact. The loss of every species from the smallest fungi to the largest mammal impacts the natural systems within which humans live and from which we obtain every resource necessary for our existence.
Regardless of the causes of biodiversity loss, which are numerous and varied, humans can make a profound difference in reversing those loses with practical, cost-effective measures implemented throughout the landscape at any scale. This means that every effort from an individuals backyard to our national parks and beyond is a contribution, and therefore, we must plan for biodiversity at every scale. Humans cannot separate our footprints from the ecological systems around us: we must manage the landscape in order to maintain biodiversity. We impact the landscape and it impacts us.
The human effect on native ecology does not need to be harmful in order for us to live happily. We can choose to manage the environment in ways which benefit both us and the natural systems around us.
Sensible Ecology, LLC 