Building for biodiversity brings several advantages. A diverse city is a powerful resource for education and research. It’s often associated with parkland and other green space, which in addition to various health benefits can help relieve overburdened water infrastructure. Introducing or encouraging native species can rejuvenate natural environments like marshlands, a frontier that cities are cultivating to protect themselves from storm surges. (For a powerful example of ecosystem restoration, watch what happened when wolves were brought back to Yellowstone National Park.)
Finally, in a world where architecture, food, language, fashion and commerce are increasingly globalized, a city’s native flora and fauna constitute a kind of civic identity. There may be neighborhoods in London and Paris that resemble Singapore or Hong Kong; but no one would confuse Prospect Park with Chapultepec. Cities are converging, but their natural environments stand defiantly apart.
Article Appeared @http://www.salon.com/2014/02/23/they_really_are_concrete_jungles_why_youll_never_think_about_cities_the_same_way_again/