How to Manage Wildlife in an Urban Area

Surprisingly, urban and suburban areas can provide habitat for a multitude of wildlife species. Some habitats can be coincidental (such as garbage as a food source) whilst others are the result of careful planning and attention to a mixture of human settlement and wildlife habitat (e.g. open spaces).  Some wildlife species have benefited from urbanisation (e.g. the raccoon), though many other more vulnerable species have been displaced.

In urban areas, management usually needs to be intensive. As urbanisation expands, the physical structure and species composition of natural habitats degrades, with the cumulative effect of eliminating all native species. Soil conditions are particularly important in urban management as they are limited by both quality and quantity in urban areas. Due to the change in soil structure and composition due to construction activities, the minerals needed for plant growth are often limited or absent. Therefore, when planning for wildlife, consideration needs to be given to both the macroclimate and microclimate and the site needs to be properly established.

Building positioning and locations of roads can lead to large differences in adjoining microclimates. For example, buildings can have a wind tunnel effect in urban areas. Other local environmental factors that can create microclimates include lighting, radiant heating and exhaust fumes.  These factors in conjunction with other conditions particular to a local area will determine the plant species selection. More hardy plants are much better equipped to survive in these environments.

Urban Planning for Wildlife

Research in the United States has found that the rapid consumption of land for urbanisation in US metropolitan areas could threaten the survival of nearly one out of every three imperilled species.  Many governments worldwide are facing the same issue and urban planning must take wildlife into consideration.  Threats to wildlife in urban areas include:

🌎 Urban pollution

🌎 Physical threats – motor vehicles, cats, dogs and people themselves

🌎 Lack of suitable habitat

🌎 Introduced species – e.g. weeds and introduced predators such as foxes

🌎 Urban lifestyles – large use of insecticides etc.

There are various ways in which wildlife can be catered for in urban planning. These include:

🌎 Enhancing and maintaining green space

🌎 Minimising noise and odour impacts where possible.

🌎 Provide education to community members on how to cater for wildlife.

🌎 Involve community members in the monitoring of wildlife in urban areas.

🌎 Manipulating plant structures to cater for wildlife e.g. providing multiple layers of shrubs and trees to provide cover and habitat for various bird species.

🌎 Providing alternative routes for wildlife movement through urban areas.

🌎 Providing artificial breeding, roosting and nesting sites for wildlife.

🌎 Providing feeding stations for birds in conjunction with appropriate vegetative cover to encourage native birds

🌎 Reducing air, land and water pollution from urban areas.

🌎 Placing restrictions on domestic pet movement by night to reduce their impact on native wildlife.

🌎 Encourage voluntary with land holders who have significant habitat to conserve this for wildlife.