As good as income

High biological diversity in our immediate vicinity is as important for life satisfaction as income, say scientists from Senckenberg, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), and the University of Kiel. The researchers showed that all across Europe, the individual enjoyment of life is correlated to the number of bird species in one’s surroundings. An additional 10% of bird species in the vicinity increases the life satisfaction of Europeans at least as much as a comparable increase in income. Nature conservation thus constitutes an investment in human well-being, they say.