Category Archives: Urban
Study shows biodiversity value of 'Green Infrastructure'
Last year’s Natural Environment White Paper called for the creation of ‘green infrastructure’ as a tool to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the UK. Defining what this would entail, the report concluded that in addition to the conservation of existing … Continue reading
Doing More with Less for the Natural Environment in 2012
Yesterday the BES Policy Team attended ‘Natural Environment 2012′, a conference in central London to explore the Natural Environment White Paper (NEWP) and the actions that have taken place to implement this since its launch in 2011. Delegates were drawn … Continue reading
For Turtles, The Suburbs May Be Better Than Nature Reserves
Scientists at the Institute for Applied Ecology at the University of Canberra, Australia, have found a turtle that does better in a suburban habitat than it does in nature reserves. Eastern long-necked turtles (Chelodina longicollis) living in the suburbs of … Continue reading
How do we make a city sustainable?
Last night saw the second event organised by the Natural Capital Initiative, a joint partnership between the BES, the Institute of Biology and the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The topic under discussion was ‘Sustainable Cities’, with high-profile speakers presenting … Continue reading
Urban Waterways Can Be Wildlife Rich Too
Despite the frequent public preconception that urban waterways such as canals and ditches are polluted eyesores, devoid of almost all wildlife, recent research has shown that they can have more macroinvertebrate diversity than similar water systems in rural areas. They … Continue reading
House Sparrows Continue Precipitous Decline
Speaking on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme, Conservation Director of the RSPB Dr Mark Avery, described the troubling plight of the House Sparrow Passer domesticus. According to a recent study in the journal Animal Conservation by scientists from the RSPB, … Continue reading
Urban Expansion Impedes Biodiversity Conservation
Often urban expansion occurs concomitantly with economic growth in developing countries, not to mention land use change including the conversion of forest to agricultural land. A new study in Landscape and Urban Planning suggests that expansion of Panama City and … Continue reading
Mayor of London Launches New ‘Green’ Strategy for the Capital
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has today launched a new strategy for the UK’s Capital, aimed at better preparing the city and its people for the challenges of climate change. The strategy is claimed as a first for a … Continue reading