What approach supports biodiversity protection in land use planning?

• A. Integrating sustainable land use and protecting habitats
• B. Maximizing urban density only
• C. Expanding road networks at the expense of habitats
• D. Ignoring ecological considerations

Answer: (A)

Protecting biodiversity in land use planning comes from integrating sustainable land use with habitat protection. This means planning development so human needs are met while keeping ecosystems intact, preserving key habitats, and preventing fragmentation. It involves designing spaces to minimize habitat loss, maintain connections between habitat patches through corridors, and incorporate green infrastructure like parks, trees, wetlands, and riparian buffers that support both biodiversity and ecosystem services such as pollination, water purification, and climate regulation. When ecological considerations are woven into zoning, transportation, and development decisions, biodiversity is protected rather than endangered.

Choosing approaches that focus solely on urban density without protecting habitats, expanding roads at the expense of habitats, or ignoring ecological factors all tend to harm biodiversity by increasing fragmentation and habitat loss.