Native Plant Gardening for Species Conservation
Published:19 Jul.2022 Source:German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Despite global efforts to protect biodiversity, many plant species are still declining. In Germany, this includes 70 percent of all plant species, with almost a third (27.5 percent) threatened, and 76 species are already considered extinct. Much of this loss can be attributed to the decline in natural habitats, in part due to increasing urbanisation. Ten percent of the total area of Germany, for example, is settlement area.
However, it is precisely these settlement areas that hold enormous -- albeit untapped -- potential for nature conservation. After all, these areas include millions of private gardens, balconies and green roofs, as well as parks and other public green spaces. Researchers from iDiv, the Universities of Halle and Leipzig and other institutions propose using these potentially available areas for conservation gardening. This horticultural practice specifically encourages the planting of declining native species.