Nature in Towns and Cities (Collins New Naturalist Library, Volume 127)
David Goode
Language: English
Pages: 371
ISBN: 2:00271643
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
The latest in the New Naturalist series documents the parks and green spaces unique to Britain's cities – and the wildlife that has flourished in these habitats. Not since Richard Fitter's landmark publication in 1945, 'London's Natural History' – volume 3 in the New Naturalist series – has there been a comprehensive guide to urban natural history. Since then there have been major advances in the conservation of nature in our towns and cities, and there is even more to say about how animals and plants have adapted, in varying degrees, to urbanisation. But this is not merely an exploration of natural history within the urban environment – David Goode uses his knowledge of urban ecology to describe the range of habitats and species which exist within urban areas, and shows how our understanding is being applied to encourage a greater variety of nature into towns and cities. He illustrates how an ecological approach can be incorporated within planning and design to create a range of habitats from tiny oases to extensive new urban woodland and wetlands.
adding derelict land, docklands, industrial estates, schools, railway stations and even densely built-up residential areas to the list of places successfully colonised. FIG 164. Foxes are now well established in many towns and cities. (Jamie Hall/FLPA) In 1982 the London Wildlife Trust organised a phone-in count of foxes and were amazed by the response. Within one month over 2,000 sightings were reported, the peak time on Foxline being 3 a.m. By then foxes were living in the heart of the city.
ground flora is dominated by bramble, but where there are clearings the flora includes species such as wood melick, common cow-wheat, moschatel, hairy woodrush and southern woodrush. Woodland birds include breeding sparrowhawk, tawny owl, and even woodcock together with the occasional wood warbler and hawfinch. FIG 21. Hornbeam coppice that has grown into large trees creates extraordinary shapes in Cherry Tree Wood. These woods formed part of a ‘park for wild beasts of the forest’ recorded in
walked in with shirt-sleeves rolled up. I showed slides to illustrate the kind of place that might be created. At that time there were few other examples to draw on but I included shots of the William Curtis Ecology Park at Tower Bridge with children pond-dipping. My vision was to produce a mini wetland alongside the Regents Canal, so I used a variety of photos of wetland habitats around the country, including the fen at Malham Tarn in Yorkshire. Nothing could be further from the urban setting of
alien species and post-industrial habitats) Committee for Bird Sanctuaries in the Royal Parks 166 Common land, local and national disputes 32–3, 39, 51–54 (see also heathland) Commons Preservation Society 30, 33, 52, 53, 286 compost heaps 176 coppicing (see woodland) Corporation of London (see City of London Corporation) Cotterill Clough 43 Countryside Commission 301, 313 County Naturalists’ Trusts 288, 296, 301 314, Coward, T. A. 43 Crackles, Eva 130 Crane Park Island, London 284,
Naturalist’s Union and worked closely with the RSPB, which might explain the fact that in 1968 management of the reserve passed to the RSPB in conjunction with the County Council. In 1984 the site was recognised as an SSSI. The lakes and smaller water bodies owe their existence to mining subsidence and there are also areas of marsh and wet pasture dissected by dykes. The reserve is bordered on one side by industrial and urban landscapes. Yet it manages to sustain a remarkable variety of wildlife.