Is this sarcasm? Is there a single example in the history of mankind where mass human development has not led to the significant decline of plant and animal spe

Is this sarcasm? Is there a single example in the history of mankind where mass human development has not led to the significant decline of plant and animal species in the surrounding areas? If you accept that the diversity and abundance of plant and non-human animal life has instrinic value then it's an awfully easy to say that blocking further human development in wild areas is the "right" thing to do.