Endangered Ecosystems

The most endangered ecosystems are typically defined by the following criteria:

  • Ecosystems with the least remaining geographic extents relative to their original extents.

  • Ecosystems under the greatest current threats by industrial development.

  • Ecosystems that are least represented in the protected areas system.

  • Ecosystems with the greatest numbers of species at risk.

  • Ecosystems that are naturally rare and limited in geographic extent to begin with.

The Nature-Based Solutions Foundation will focus on protecting ecosystems that fit these criteria, including old-growth forests, grasslands, parklands, southern deciduous and mixed forests, Carolinian forests, and other ecosystems.

These ecosystems often have greater biological productivity and species richness. They tend to occur in southern Canada, where most people and industry are.