Learn More About Biodiversity

Ontario's Rich Natural World

We all benefit from a rich mix of natural life around us. We call this natural variety “biodiversity”. Without a healthy diversity of plants, animals and other life forms, we wouldn't survive. The connections among these living things keep our environment working. A healthy environment helps to:

clean the air we breathe recycle, purify and store the water we drink transform our wastes into resources provide us with food, fuel and shelter stabilize and moderate our climate provide the resources we use for industry and recreation nurture and feed our spirits.

The environment does these things for all of us. It will continue to do so if we just protect it and let it function naturally.

Learn More

On this site you can:

Explore Ontario's Biodiversity

Discover what's living in Ontario, by group of animal or plant, by ecological regions or by political boundaries.

A Biodiversity Primer for Ontario

• What is biodiversity?
• Why you should care about biodiversity?
• Different levels of biodiversity
• The importance of connections
• How ecosystems function
• Threats to biodiversity
• Reducing the threats to biodiversity
• Ontario's Biodiversity Strategy: "Protecting What Sustains Us"
• What can you do to help?
• Resources and more information
• Appendix A: The Benefits of Healthy Ecosystems
• Appendix B: Glossary
   

Scope of Biodiversity in Ontario

Explore Ontario's Ecological Landscapes

Read Ontario's Biodiversity Strategy

Learn how the people of Ontario are working to protect what sustains us. Download the Strategy and its 37 Action Items.

Link to Resources
Find out what resources are available through links found in the Make Connections section of this website.

Photography
Girl with magnifying glass by Wayne Eardley. Maple tree from iStockPhoto.com.