Each Friday, Russ Anderson, the president and CEO of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty and the president and CEO of Pacific Sotheby's International Realty, writes about luxury, trends, business and more in the advertising pages of the Mansion section of The Wall Street Journal. Below is his letter of August 15, 2025.
FROM THE PRESIDENT'S P.O.V.
“We’re part of something larger … our home is not a sealed-off object, but part of a shared, living system.”
Is your home biodiverse? That quote above, from the influential landscape architect Johanna Gibbons, of J&L Gibbons, is a reminder that there is a bigger picture — something I bet most of us don’t think about often. A biodiverse setting is one where the land surrounding a home is teeming with life, Gibbons says, “a kind of ‘pluriverse’ where many species, systems and cycles coexist and are interdependent.”
We see biodiversity in most of our ranch listings because they are large in acreage and further out from the cities. But biodiversity is an increasingly hot topic in our urban and suburban areas, too. What helps makes a home biodiverse?
Habitat creation: Think about native-plant landscaping, which can provide food and shelter for native wildlife; pollinator plants, which attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds; and ponds and birdbaths that support aquatic and semi-aquatic species.
Ecological integration: Green roofs, covered with soil and plants, and green walls, covered with vegetation, can provide microhabitats, improve air quality and help regulate a home’s temperature.
Human/nature connection: This is a big one, from outdoor living spaces that encourage interaction with nature to low-impact lighting that minimizes light pollution, to help protect nocturnal wildlife.
But, biodiversity is more than design choices. It’s an enlightened way of life, with a profound psychological impact on those who embrace it. “These settings create a sense of calm, richness and connection,” Gibbons says. Come see some remarkably biodiverse properties around the world, at the Sotheby's International Realty blog.
One thing is for certain: Wherever humans build or intervene, biodiversity needs to be part of the conversation from the start.
Russ Anderson
President and CEO, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty
President and CEO, Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty
PICTURED AT TOP: A rendering of the forthcoming Sky Terrace Penthouse at HALL Arts Residences, represented exclusively by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty for $14,900,000
Footer Social Links