Chapter 2: Design for Biodiversity

Photo by James Wheeler on Unsplash

Learning Intentions

By the end of this chapter, you may be able to …

• Recognize contemporary approaches in landscape construction and maintenance that enhance biodiversity.
• Explain the concept of biodiversity and assess how landscape construction and maintenance practices can impact the environment.
• Analyze the advantages of planting biodiverse landscapes as a means of fostering ecosystem health and promoting environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

Let’s Review

Let’s begin with a review of Chapter 1: Planning with Purpose. In Chapter 1, our key topics were climate change, Indigenous Knowledge and perceptions, and the regenerative landscape. We looked at the role of humans in the production of CO2, methane, and other harmful emissions (greenhouse gases) through burning fossil fuels and the release of carbon through practices such as deforestation and urbanization.

While it is a natural process that helps regulate the earth’s temperature, making it habitable for humans, plants, and animals, the greenhouse effect is amplified by the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations being released into the atmosphere. In other words, the increased greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere traps heat and has resulted in a warming planet.

Due to global warming, there are significant consequences that we refer to as climate change. Climate change refers to the long-term alteration of global temperatures, precipitation patterns, and sea levels.  In addition, the consequences of climate change include more frequent and severe heat waves, droughts, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes, as well as the loss of ecosystems and biodiversity. Climate change is one of the most pressing environmental and societal issues facing the world today, with significant implications for public health, food security, and economic development.

We also heard authentic voices and viewed resources to explore the appropriateness of holding space for Indigenous Knowledge and perceptions in the landscape horticulture curriculum. We also reflected on the importance and relevance of the First Peoples’ Principles of Learning to support learners with diverse backgrounds, and you explored the principles of Two-eyed Seeing through the story of regenerative landscape design.

To conclude Chapter 1, the reflection guiding questions asked you to reflect on how your choices to use certain practices in landscape horticulture may influence the environment, economy, and wider society. If you didn’t have a chance, we highly recommend that you consider using the “Your Identify Map Resource” to investigate “the strong link between culture and the way people think and learn” (p.1).

Chapter 2: Introduction

Welcome to Chapter 2: Designing for Biodiversity. In this chapter, we will introduce how biodiversity in landscape horticulture refers to the incorporation of diverse plant and animal species in outdoor spaces such as gardens, parks, and natural areas. This approach to landscaping aims to create a greener, more sustainable, and more resilient environment that supports the coexistence of multiple species and promotes ecosystem health.

By incorporating biodiversity into landscaping, we can create habitats that provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for wildlife, as well as improve soil quality, air and water filtration, and overall environmental health.

Looking at landscaping through the lens of biodiversity, horticulturalists can create welcoming and aesthetically-pleasing spacing that serves not only the human species but plants and animal species as well.