Introduction – Biodiversity Conservation
“(Site owners must ensure” that nature
tourism and ecotourism products biodiversity impacts have been minimised”
(Ecotourism Australia EcoCertification)
The UN Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), conducted by 1360
experts in 95 nations, was launched in March 2005. The MA is an
international work program on the consequences of ecosystem change
for human well-being which explores the options for responding to
these changes.
This report scientifically proved that two thirds of the world’s
ecosystems are in serious decline. This is all the more serious
that natural ecosystems have a unique interactive complex diversity
which provides irreplaceable services such as purification of soil,
water and air, regulation of local and global climate, or the development
of topsoil and maintenance of soil fertility. Not only are these
services all provided free and are not cost-effectively substitutable
by technological innovation; they are also dependent on life on
our planet.
Hence, actively considering biodiversity conservation in the design
of our built environment is crucial. Landscaping, such as designing
and developing local parks and gardens can significantly improve
water efficiency of urban buildings and attract diverse species
of birds and insects. Selective choice of plants and the use of
efficient watering technologies (using water meters, smart controls
and drip irrigation for example)- not only saves water, but requires
much less fertiliser, herbicides, pesticides and maintenance.
Case study – An example of what is possible
30 Be bond, Lend Lease’s New Sydney headquarters is the first
office building in Australia to commit a 5 star energy rating and
represents a total commitment to ecologically sustainable development
(ESD) principles. The building has a unique biodiversity feature-
a roof top garden with drought resistant plants. The rooftop garden
has a range of uses that significantly improve the building’s
eco-performance; it reduces energy demand on space conditioning;
provides direct shading of the roof, as well as evapotranspiration
and improved insulation values; and it delays run-off into the sewage
system, thus helping to reduce the frequency of combined sewage
overflow events. They also provide workers with a relaxed natural
garden to take a morning of afternoon break, a feature which has
been noted to reduce workspace stress and absenteeism.
References: Governance in the
21st Century, Earthscan, London. Chapter 16: Tomorrow’s Mega
Cities: How will they develop? P 314
National Research Council Canada
(2002) Energy Efficiency and environmental benefits of rooftop gardens,
www.nrc.ca/irc/ircpubs
For further information on water
efficient landscaping see the US EPA Report-click
here to download (1.6MB .pdf) |
