`Biodiversity keeps the world in check’

versity and natural ecosystems. At the gardens’ Chat eld Farms location in Littleton, there has been a restoration of the creek and “re-wildling” of the area, in addition to a focus on regenerative agriculture.

BY ELICIA HESSELGRAVE SPECIAL TO COLORADO COMMUNITY MEDIA

Dr. Jennifer Neale believes biodiversity “keeps the world turning, keeps our water and air clean and provides a healthy ecosystem.”

“Ecosystems are healthier when they have more species in them,” said Neale, who serves as the director of research and conservation for the Denver Botanic Gardens. “ is biodiversity keeps the world in check.”

Biodiversity is seen when all kingdoms of life are broadly represented by having a variety of species from lots of di erent types of organisms including plants, insects, birds, animals, fungi and bacteria.

“If all (conservation) groups stopped what they are doing, we would see small, slow changes like erosion and toxins along canal systems,” Neale said. “It’ll become gross, polluted and stinky. Fewer plants would grow in these areas because it isn’t being promoted to be healthy.” e e ect of biodiversity conservation could take years to see noticeable impact, which is why the conservation work now is for future generations.

“ ere are massive extinction events going on,” Neale said. “We may not see it in our lifetime, but hopefully we’re doing good for the future.”

Working to conserve biodiversity in Colorado

e Denver Botanic Gardens has been doing extensive work to conserve local biodiversity since the 1980s. To start, it has been studying and conserving rare plants in Colorado for more than 40 years.

One e ort is collecting native seeds, and the horticulture team has practiced growing them in case they need to be put back in the wild due to extinction.

But the gardens’ expansive conservation e orts go beyond the limits of