The role of parks in biodiversity conservation: A case study of the Kristianstad Vattenrike Biosphere Area: Parks for people and biodiversity

Greater human responsibility for efforts to protect and restore the diversity of ecosystems and landscapes must be taken to reverse the dangerous trend of persistent biodiversity loss on Earth1. Such needed effort is based on a deep understanding of the importance of and reliance on well-functioning ecosystems and rich biodiversity for a healthy planet. One part of this complex picture is the role that parks can play. Parks are multifunctional landscapes that can contribute to biodiversity protection and restoration while serving other essential human needs2,3. Recent studies of parks have highlighted the relationship between human well-being and biodiversity protection. For example, urban green spaces created primarily for recreational purposes are providers of habitats for animals4. Similarly, plant diversity and human well-being were shown to have a positive relationship in a study of vegetation, human well-being, and public greenspace5. Research from Berlin supports biodiversity-friendly park design and management for a broad range of park users as a promising approach to biodiversity conservation in cities while promoting human-nature interactions6.