State of Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of life found on earth, and is essential to all living beings. For humans, biodiversity allows for a wealth of ecosystem services we depend on for food, clean water, shelter, medicine, material goods, recreation, and spiritual experiences. Biodiversity can be degraded by habitat fragmentation and loss, invasive alien species, pollution, and climate change. Although resource use practices such as forestry, agriculture, aquaculture, fishing, hunting and trapping can also negatively impact biodiversity, when practiced sustainably these activities can help prevent biodiversity loss.
The Department of Natural Resources and Renewables is committed to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and part of this commitment is to work towards a new Biodiversity Act, and to regularly report on the state of biodiversity in Nova Scotia.
State of Biodiversity Reporting:
Regular reporting on the state of biodiversity in Nova Scotia is an important way that we deliver on our commitment to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. The purpose of the reporting is many-fold:
- To show key findings about the status and trends of biodiversity in Nova Scotia
- To understand pressures on biodiversity, and make suggestions for improvement where indicators show biodiversity is deteriorating in the province
- To set groundwork for knowledge sharing, collaboration on biodiversity research, stewardship, and future monitoring of environmental change and resource use
- To highlight an Ecosystem Approach to natural resource use
The following modules of the State of Biodiversity are available:
Introduction to Biodiversity
Invasive Alien Species
Species at Risk
If you have any comments or questions regarding biodiversity in Nova Scotia, please contact us: biodiversity@novascotia.ca