Why is habitat restoration important?

As more of humanity moves to cities and as and more of our natural landscapes are urbanized, fragmented, or otherwise impacted by humans, we are beginning to think more about improving our urban landscapes not just for people but for other plants and animals as well. Restoring biodiversity to cities will become increasingly important for human well-being and natural ecosystems alike.

There are many factors that contribute to biodiversity, but one of the most important is the existence of healthy native vegetation. Some plants may serve as food and housing for many species, while other (often introduced or invasive species) contribute very little to local ecosystems. Think about the lawn in many of our urban greenspaces. While it may allow some rain water to soak into the ground, and provide more cooling and oxygen than would asphalt or concrete, it doesn’t provide nearly the ecosystem benefits that a native Oak tree would, for example. Other factors, such as soil, air, and water quality, noise and light pollution, also play an important role in what species are able to live in an area. Further, many cities such as Pittsburgh have additional ecosystem challenges such as an overabundance of deer, since all of their natural predators (besides automobiles) have been eliminated from these environments. The deer population in areas around Schenley Park exacerbate issues related to the prevalence of invasive species and difficulty reestablishing native vegetation, as well as increase the risk of vehicle accidents.