Here is a quote from the Ministry of Environment CD called Develop with Care: Environmental Guidelines for Urban and Rural Land Development in B.C.
"Maintaining a healthy natural environment during rural land development enhances the quality of life for the whole community..." "Ecosystems regulate our climate, clean our fresh water, regulate and clean atmospheric gases, maintain genetic diversity, sustain the water cycle, recycle nutrients and pollinate our crops. Simply put, at not cost to us, ecosystems provide the services that allow us to live on earth."
There is a copy of this CD at the Quadra Library.