Why is it important?

Habitat destruction is a major cause of extinction and endangerment. As people expand into previously wild areas, habitats become fragmented. Roads and buildings split up their previously continuous ranges, making traveling and migrating much more dangerous. Grandfather Mountain cannot build any new roads or buildings for this reason.

How could this problem be solved or mitigated?

One big cause of habitat destruction is building in wild areas. Avoiding building new structures in sensitive ecosystems is a good way to do this. The other big cause is deforestation. Grandfather Mountain protects the habitats of its animals by not starting any new projects or developments that would change the mountain. There is a legal agreement in place that allows the property to continue to be used as a nature park. Habitat destruction can be caused by hikers straying off-trail and damaging sensitive plants. This could be reduced by placing rocks or dense vegetation on the side of the trail.