Biodiversity
Last updated on June 4, 2026Biologically diverse ecosystems provide a number of critically important goods and services that benefit humans. While conserving and enhancing biodiversity may come at a cost to producers, there are immeasurable benefits to farmers and ranchers.
Benefits of biologically diverse ecosystems
These benefits include:
- Soil formation and retention processes − maintain soil productivity and prevent soil loss due to wind and water erosion
- Nutrient breakdown, storage and cycling − makes nutrients available to domestic and native plants, prevents organic debris from accumulating, and helps maintain water quality
- Reduction of pest populations − helps reduce crop losses
- Pollination services − enhance yields for pollinator-dependent crops such as fruit trees
Intercropping
Intercropping is another effective way to enhance biodiversity directly within fields. Growing a diversity of agronomic species together can improve soil health, increase resilience to pests, and enhance forage quality. To learn more, see Intercropping; Choosing the Right Plants for Biodiversity and Forage (PDF,1 MB) and Intercropping 101: A Basic Guide to Growing Multiple Crops Together (PDF, 1 MB). For more detailed information on integrating multiple forage species, please visit Forage - Province of British Columbia.
Biodiversity guide
The the biodiversity guide (PDF 4.23MB) is designed for farmers and ranchers who wish to increase their understanding of biodiversity and what it means to their operations. It offers ideas on how agricultural producers can manage for biodiversity, and it provides some tools for doing so.
Grazing management guide
The grazing management guide assists B.C. farmers and ranchers in preparing a grazing management plan for their operations. The guide can be used in designing, implementing, and monitoring a biodiversity management plan.