Regardless of where we live, I imagine that all of us can remember a plot of land that is now a strip mall that used to be undeveloped, or some other area that has changed dramatically over time.
What steps can/do municipalities take to protect the amount of open space that plants and animals have available?
This solution suggests how to approach the problem from a biologists point of view. The solution suggests a few areas to start and provides some key areas that are worth discussing.