With over 330 lakes and thousands of hectares of forests and wetlands, Greater Sudbury is home to a rich diversity of plants, animals and ecosystems. In fact, some of the largest remaining stands of old-growth red pine forests are found here along with 12 species of amphibians, 10 species of reptiles, 183 species of nesting birds and 46 species of mammals.

A large area, however, remains impacted by past mining and smelting activities. Although past regreening efforts have achieved significant improvements on these lands, the Sudbury Soils Study's Ecological Risk Assessment report confirmed that there is much more work to be done. A Biodiversity Action Plan for Greater Sudbury has been developed that builds on past regreening successes and defines the path forward for future work needed to support Greater Sudbury's ecological recovery.

Numerous agencies and groups with a focus on one or more aspects of biodiversity (e.g., wildlife habitat) currently exist in Greater Sudbury. To allow information sharing, wider participation on group activities, and heightened public awareness and education on biodiversity issues, a Greater Sudbury Biodiversity Partnership has been formed.