Members: Emeil Alvarez, Lukas Timmerman, Alanna Perron, Bethany Strecker, Kristen Mowat, Genevieve Mead, Kate Soltys, Allister Johnson, and Cedric Watat
Spontaneous Urban Vegetation
Within urban areas, vegetation rarely grows because of the lack of inhabitable features of a city and the creation factors such as heat-island effect, disturbance of the landscape, poor soil and air condition. In the other hand, the plants that do succeed on thriving in deserted areas are proven to be more resilient and more tolerant to the negative impacts of the urban landscape. These species are perhaps the vegetation of the future. Perhaps it is more beneficial for us to promote these types of flora instead of trying to revive other plants that existed at the site before the urban landscape ever existed.
Local Land-Use planning to Conserve Biodiversity
The integration of biodiversity conservation in local land-use planning is possible through several initiatives. First, conservation biologists should communicate research findings of potential biodiversity elements in urbanizing landscapes to the public and planners. Second, making both economic and noneconomic benefits of local biodiversity elements understandable to the public will make it easier for the idea to propagate. Third is collaboration of jurisidctions and including of biodiversity specialists in the planning process. The fourth action is the education of the public about biodiversity conservation and providing planners information on how to educate the local people, officials and developers. Lastly, a more effective and accessible way to send the message of biodiversity across to the planners and the public is vital.
Reflection: Every person has a responsibility to promote and maintain biodiversity but it’s the specialists’ responsibility to educate the public about it.
Stokes, David L., Marian F. Hanson, Deborah D. Oaks, Jamie E. Straub, and Aileen V. Ponio. “Local Land-Use Planning to Conserve Biodiversity: Planners’ Perspectives on What Works.”Conservation Biology . 24. no. 2 (2009): 450-460. 10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01356.x (accessed April 5, 2013).
Del Tredici, Peter.”Spontaneous Urban Vegetation: Reflections of Change
in a Globalized World”. and Culture 5(3), Winter 2010: 299–315 © Berghahn Journals doi:10.3167/nc.2010.050305 (accessed April 5, 2013).