Enhancing biodiversity at business sites: What are the options, and which of these do stakeholders prefer?

How Could Companies Engage in Sustainable Landscape Management? An Exploratory Perspective

“…However, this does not mean that companies know. Snep et al [42] found that contributing to a larger ecological network by creating stepping stones or ecological corridors were the two preferred scenarios among companies for greening the office park. In a choice experiment measuring willingness to pay, companies associated themselves with such benefits as their environmental status, external appearance of the office park and positive effects on health and well-being of their employees.…”

Providing Habitats for Urban Insects

“…' Business sites ' (defi ned by Snep et al 2009 , as 'areas designated by local, regional and in some cases national governments to accommodate multiple companies that produce, transfer or store goods or provide services') have a number of synonyms, such as 'industrial estates' or 'business parks', but are a category of land use for which sustainable development is both increasingly sought and increasingly signifi cant. Most are on city edges, demanding good transport linkages and so occupying intrinsically strategic places along urban-rural gradients, increasing their relevance for biodiversity and giving them roles as reservoirs or sources for inner city biodiversity.…”

“…Most are on city edges, demanding good transport linkages and so occupying intrinsically strategic places along urban-rural gradients, increasing their relevance for biodiversity and giving them roles as reservoirs or sources for inner city biodiversity. Sympathetic building designs (such as buildings with fl at roofs suitable for greening) augment their value, and Snep et al ( 2009 ) also noted that, unlike many urban areas, many business sites are occupied only (or mainly) in daytime, so are little disturbed at night. Their butterfl y example, above, draws on fi ve general principles for biodiversity on business sites (Snep et al 2009 ) as (1) making better use of the large potential of fl at roof areas for habitat; (2) enhancing ecological quality of existing green areas; (3) making better use of potential for temporarily available vacant land on sites; (4) enhancing green infrastructure by creating additional green areas; and (5) implementing habitat corridors in design and management of sites.…”

Corporate South Africa and biodiversity in a green economy

“…For example, for those companies that do not impact directly on BES through their operations, the biotic aspects of the business site is often neglected as a site for positive environmental action, in other words, the flora and fauna and the landscape they inhabit (offices buildings, shops) tend to be neglected (Snep et al 2009). Biodiversity loss and ecosystem decline cannot be considered in isolation from other trends such as growing and shifting markets (organic food, increased need for fish), resource exploitation and climate change.…”