A stitch in time: integrating energy infrastructure into the fabric of conservation habitats.

Abstract

Insect communities are declining globally as a result of multiple, interacting drivers, including habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and urbanization. Biodiversity losses necessitate immediate conservation efforts, including the creation of new habitats, but it can be challenging to find suitable spaces in which to implement such mitigation actions. However, energy infrastructure, including solar farms and rights-of-way, presents opportunities to enhance insect conservation efforts by adding to the existing patchwork of habitats across working landscapes. While research has already demonstrated the potential for new habitats in homogenous, resource-poor landscapes, pairing these habitats with energy infrastructure has not been fully explored or utilized, although the evidence base is growing. Here, we examine the challenges of finding opportunities to establish insect habitats in working landscapes, discuss the potential for energy infrastructure as spaces for habitats, and propose solutions to move this potential new means of insect conservation forward.