World Wildlife Day: The Importance of Biodiversity in Our Landscapes

Biodiversity comes in many forms across natural and agricultural landscapes – ranging from crops to pollinators, livestock and the wildlife that make up these complex ecosystems. World Wildlife Day reminds us of the important role of wild plants and animals and the ecosystem services they provide to agriculturalists and all those who benefit from agricultural production (namely, everyone!).

From policies to agricultural practices, wildlife should be protected and encouraged in the natural and agricultural mosaics they call home. Landscape-scale considerations for wildlife management are especially important for species that require significant areas of land for their habitats. When farms and the surrounding lands are considered holistically, integrating wildlife into existing land use practices can contribute to managing pests, pollinating plants and fertilizing the soil – not to mention the aesthetic, cultural and spiritual value of conserving biodiversity in our shared systems.

Read more about why biodiversity is important to agriculture and how people are working to protect it:

Looking in the Right Places: Finding Opportunities that Increase Yields while Reducing Harm to Biodiversity

Revisiting Cropland for Biodiversity Conservation

Launching Resources and Tools for Biodiversity Conservation