Biodiversity is the variety of life. The diversity of all living organisms and ecosystems of the planet. It includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems in which they live. 

Scientists estimate that there are nearly 8.7 million species of plants and animals in existence on planet earth. However only around 1.6 million species have been identified and described so far. We still have only a rudimentary understanding of the relationships between species and within ecosystems. 

To maintain biodiversity it is necessary to invest in protecting wild lands, and waters which sustain the largest variety of species and ecological process. 

Welcome to our Understanding Biodiversity in Coastal Forested Landscapes program. 

This online program introduces you to the concepts of general biodiversity protection, and then goes on to consider where the Sunshine Coast could benefit from biodiversity protection. 

You can start at the beginning and move through the presentation page by page using the See previous page and See next page links at the bottom of each page. Or you can jump directly to any of the topics listed under HAN Project – Biodiversity in the menu to the side. (Those topics only display when you are on this page, so if you come back later and can’t find them, just click Biodiversity under HAN Project.) 

Many of these topics are supported with additional information, provided through links at the bottom of that topic’s page, so that you can go into more depth if you wish. For example, under “Landscape Units” check out “the view from Tin Hat Mountain.” Tin Hat Mountain is along the Sunshine Coast Trail. An over night shelter is located there. It offers spectacular views of several Landscape Units. 

If you have questions or suggestions about this presentation, feel free to contact us. Also, we offer this as a live presentation, so if you would like us to present it to your group, give us a shout. We look forward to hearing from you! 

Enjoy!