Biological diversity, or biodiversity, is life in all its forms. There are many definitions for biodiversity, and as you explore this web site, you can learn all about what biodiversity is.

King County Biodiversity Report

The King County Biodiversity Report provides a compendium of biodiversity information about King County.

The importance of biodiversity

A few of the values or benefits of biodiversity include:

• Purification of air and water
• Soil fertility
• Food, fuel, and fiber
• Stabilization and moderation of climate
• Moderation of floods, droughts, temperature extremes, and forces of wind
• Control of pests and disease
• Genetic resources for crop varieties, animal breeds, medicines
• Pollination of plants, including 95% of the world's crops

Biodiversity supports such diverse activities as agriculture, horticulture, selective breeding, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, pulp and paper, water purification, and wastewater treatment. Biodiversity is important to climate change adaptation, and it is affected by climate change. We are only beginning to realize the ways in which biodiversity will impact and be impacted by climate change. In short, human life depends on biodiversity.

Building a Biodiversity Calendar

Each year special days and weeks are celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity. We can build a calendar around these spotlights.

• International Beaver Day is April 7 every year. Beavers create wetland habitats that are hotspots of biodiversity. Learn more about beavers at our Beaver website.

• Earth Day is April 22 every year. Earth Day Network's year-round mission is to broaden, diversify and activate the environmental movement worldwide, through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer campaigns.

• Endangered Species Day is the third Friday in May each year. This day is for celebrating, learning about, and taking action to protect threatened and endangered species.

• World Migratory Bird Day, celebrated on the second Saturday of May in Canada and the US. Each year celebrates a different theme. "Dim the Lights for Birds at Night" is the IMBD 2022 theme. See migratorybirdday.org to learn more.

• International Day for Biological Diversity is annually on May 22. This day is a United Nations-sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues.

• National Pollinator Week is in June every year. Pollinating animals, including bees, birds, butterflies, bats, beetles and others, are vital to our delicate ecosystem, supporting terrestrial wildlife, providing healthy watersheds, and more. Pollinator.org provides information and free materials each year to bring awareness to this critically important topic. And of course be sure to visit our pollinator page for lots of great info and references.

Related information

• Animals, plants and habitat
• Ecological lands
• Wetlands

Related agencies

• Department of Natural Resources and Parks
• Water and Land Resources Division
• Parks and Recreation Division