Download Biodiversity and conservation in cities: critical

Biodiversity and conservation in cities:
critical knowledge gaps
Glenn Stewart1 and Pippin Anderson2
1Lincoln
2University
University, Christchurch, NEW ZEALAND
of Cape Town, Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA
URBIO IV, Incheon, South Korea, October, 2014
Draft Research Agenda - summary
• CBD called for a research agenda on urban biodiversity, ecosystem services and design to support the
‘plan of action’ for local authorities for biodiversity 2011 – 2020
• Secretariat called on URBIO to develop this research agenda – 2013 workshop in Germany gave rise to
the current draft research agenda
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAFT AGENDA
• Lack city-specific data
• Knowledge generated needs to be useful
• Develop greening standards, and planning practices based on best practice
• Better communication
• Better arguments for investment in nature, and methods that address complex value systems
• Research to establish: the role of urban parks; the role of biodiversity in mitigation to change; the
role of green architecture in biodiversity protection; the urban design drivers of biodiversity
outcomes; how generalizable these outcomes are; what structure, composition and dynamics we
can alter in cities to maintain biodiversity; whether people, nature and landscape be integrated via
form and function; if we can improve biodiversity through climate protection strategies
• Grow research that acknowledges biodiversity is not simply species numbers but includes genetic
complexity and biological processes
Why a Southern Hemisphere view?
• Southern Hemisphere – why/how is it different and why is it important?
• Most ecological and design theory comes from the Northern Hemisphere – the young landscapes of
Europe and North America that experienced significant ice cover in the last glaciations
• After the ice retreated in Europe and North America, large areas colonised by relatively few species
• Not so in the Sth H. - Rich biodiversity due to lack of glaciation (both Australia and South Africa),
and isolation (80 million years, NZ, 30 million years, South Africa)
• Banksia’s have a 54 million year lineage!! There is more genetic diversity in a patch of Kangaroo Paw
plants in Kings Park in Perth, Australia that in all the spruce in North America!!
• Table Mountain National Park in the City of Cape Town alone holds
greater plant diversity than the entire United Kingdom!!
Why a Southern Hemisphere view?
Geographically-specific issues pertaining to shared colonial histories of
land use (eg timelines of urbanisation and invasion biology) – leads to
comparative work (shared research agendas)
Country specific problems leads to independent research agendas–
• Poverty, development and conservation tensions (South Africa)
• Biosecurity, biodiversity crises, environmental tensions (New Zealand)
History, biodiversity, urban form of New Zealand
80 million years of isolation
Global biodiversity hotspot, 85% flora and fauna endemic
Colonised by Polynesians 800 yrs ago, Europeans 150yrs
ago. Shared colonial history with South Africa and
Australia.
In NZ 30+ spp naturalised mammals, 40+ spp exotic birds,
40,000 spp exotic plants, 3000+ spp naturalised exotic
plants, (cf 2300 spp native plants)
Urban form dominated by colonial architecture, similar
urban planning principles, by exotic plants and animals
and by colonial design similarities.
NZ (and Australia) has a biodiversity crisis!
Cities are Cultural & Ecological Keys
to Biodiversity Futures
New Zealand
Urban biodiversity a key to conservation & identity (Erfurt Declaration)
To do this we need to overcome social, environmental & biological challenges/barriers
Key steps for conservation
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Control biosecurity threats
Protect and restore natural vegetation (and associated fauna) in cities
Optimise spatial configurations of vegetation patches & corridors for ecological and social services
Integrate non-invasive exotic species where possible
Strive for sustainability from ecosystem services (carbon, microclimate, storm water treatment
trains, reduced resource consumption, etc)
 Biodiversity vital as services and/or intrinsic/spiritual/emotional value
 If we plant the plants do the animals follow? Adopting a long-term view
 Incorporate native species into urban design
History, biodiversity, urban form of Cape Town
Thematic areas emerging
• What elements appear to be missing?
• What elements appear to be missing that relate specifically to the Southern
Hemisphere (eg the city of Cape Town or Christchurch)?
Outline:
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Drivers shaping and un-shaping our cities (form and function)
System thinking
Experimental thinking
Values and perceptions
Drivers shaping and un-shaping our cities (form and function)
Development pressure and the loss of biodiversity
Understanding invasive aliens - the role of cities, especially port cities, as conduits for
introductions, and how to manage this
Rapid urbanisation unlike other developed regions
Understanding the novel in light of high biodiversity
Understanding opportunities for restoration
Specific, complex, governance
Acknowledge and work with informality
Adopt system and experimental thinking
• Think more along the lines of biological processes – fire, invasive aliens, water,
linking the social and the ecological
• Resist exploring issues in isolation
• Grow our scenario planning skills to explore diverse future options
e.g. if we lose all our biodiversity, what sort of city will we have?
• Be bolder and more creative in our thinking. Are cities (those who manage and
those who live in them) open to experimentation?
Values and perceptions
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Who is (gets to) shaping our city and are their views being heard?
Where is the experience of the individual?
Ecosystem services for who? What gets valorized and what gets silenced?
Rationalist bias in urban ecology agenda setting. Different ways of knowing
What are the associated employment opportunities?
How can be better embrace biodiversity-related education opportunities?
The value of controversy
Grow and work with social conviviality
In summary - what we need
• More detailed, comparable species inventories and community process research. But ensure data
collection and research is question driven!
• A better understanding of ecological functioning in response to urban drivers
• Relating ecological system and process understanding back to governance practices to improve urban
biodiversity conservation
• The need for a far more socially-informed research agenda (especially the tension between social needs
and conservation demands)
• The need to take on more creative methodological approaches with system-thinking and pushing for
greater in-city experimentation
• Ecological theory and knowledge has to be fundamental and inseparable to urban design