The phrase deep ecology refers to an environmental philosophy that posits the inherent worth of all living beings. The phrase was coined in 1973 by Arne Naess, a Norwegian philosopher influenced by Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring.
Deep ecologists believe that an endangered species should be protected for its own sake and its place in the ecosystem, and not for any value it might have to human beings. For example, consider this sentence: “A garden is not for me, but is a nexus of everything I did not understand or realize before I had a garden—other lives, other needs, other moments.”
For more, see the book from which this quotation is taken: A New Garden Ethic, by Benjamin Vogt, who takes a deep ecological stance in many of his writings.