Spontaneous natural processes in urban areas should be permitted and facilitated
as much as possible, so that evolution can progress even in urban environments, at
the interface between natural and cultural processes.
Increasingly, authorities of cities understand that our relationship to nature,
including urban climate, biodiversity, and land use is important both for human
health and to have support from their citizens for policies regarding biodiversity
management and protection.
Even if cities are sparsely vegetated and lacking pristine natural spaces, and even
if cities are usually poor in terms of natural elements the concentration of humans,
buildings, and money can be used as prerequisite for investments in the nature.
Artificial habitats in cities, settlements, infrastructure, and special programmes
have a high potential for trial and error nature conservation projects. In areas without
any threatened native species, it might be possible to establish populations of plants
and animals which are threatened with extinction in their natural habitat. The
arrangement of the composition of natural and semi-natural habitats, green spaces,
private and public parks, greening activities and plantations, botanic gardens, zoos
and aquariums in cities can be an important aid for wildlife in the cities and species
conservation projects outside of the cities. Furthermore, natural evolution can
progress in artificial environments at the interface between natural and cultural
processes, if certain requirements of the relating species and environmental conditions are respected.
However, such projects are limited to certain taxonomical groups such as birds,
insects, bats, vascular plant species, and a few others.
At global scales, botanic gardens, seed banks, aquariums and zoos in collaboration with universities and nature conservation institutions have now developed
ambitious programmes and activities in the fields of conservation, research and
education. These are increasingly supported by governments, official authorities
and private sponsors via networking, exchange of information, and fund-raising
campaigns. These institutions play a vital role in the survival of rare species and the
re-introduction into natural habitats, independent of where the botanic gardens or
zoos are located. However, most of the larger institutions are located in cities, and it
can be assumed that these in general have more visitors and money than the ones
located in rural areas. As such, the exchange of information including education for
schoolchildren has a very high value in cities simply because of the proximity for
visitors. A network of well-equipped and cross-linked botanical gardens, zoos and
aquariums could easily enlarge their campaigns if they get more money and support
from the public. Public payments could also be linked with species conservation
programmes. Schoolchildren and students should come in contact with nature not
only during holidays or education in the classroom, but also face to face in their
vicinity of their daily life. Spontaneous natural processes in urban areas should be
allowed to increase, to give the opportunity to city dwellers to experience nature
around the corner and feel connected to natural processes as humans always experienced them in the past.
480
C. Hobohm et al.
as much as possible, so that evolution can progress even in urban environments, at
the interface between natural and cultural processes.
Increasingly, authorities of cities understand that our relationship to nature,
including urban climate, biodiversity, and land use is important both for human
health and to have support from their citizens for policies regarding biodiversity
management and protection.
Even if cities are sparsely vegetated and lacking pristine natural spaces, and even
if cities are usually poor in terms of natural elements the concentration of humans,
buildings, and money can be used as prerequisite for investments in the nature.
Artificial habitats in cities, settlements, infrastructure, and special programmes
have a high potential for trial and error nature conservation projects. In areas without
any threatened native species, it might be possible to establish populations of plants
and animals which are threatened with extinction in their natural habitat. The
arrangement of the composition of natural and semi-natural habitats, green spaces,
private and public parks, greening activities and plantations, botanic gardens, zoos
and aquariums in cities can be an important aid for wildlife in the cities and species
conservation projects outside of the cities. Furthermore, natural evolution can
progress in artificial environments at the interface between natural and cultural
processes, if certain requirements of the relating species and environmental conditions are respected.
However, such projects are limited to certain taxonomical groups such as birds,
insects, bats, vascular plant species, and a few others.
At global scales, botanic gardens, seed banks, aquariums and zoos in collaboration with universities and nature conservation institutions have now developed
ambitious programmes and activities in the fields of conservation, research and
education. These are increasingly supported by governments, official authorities
and private sponsors via networking, exchange of information, and fund-raising
campaigns. These institutions play a vital role in the survival of rare species and the
re-introduction into natural habitats, independent of where the botanic gardens or
zoos are located. However, most of the larger institutions are located in cities, and it
can be assumed that these in general have more visitors and money than the ones
located in rural areas. As such, the exchange of information including education for
schoolchildren has a very high value in cities simply because of the proximity for
visitors. A network of well-equipped and cross-linked botanical gardens, zoos and
aquariums could easily enlarge their campaigns if they get more money and support
from the public. Public payments could also be linked with species conservation
programmes. Schoolchildren and students should come in contact with nature not
only during holidays or education in the classroom, but also face to face in their
vicinity of their daily life. Spontaneous natural processes in urban areas should be
allowed to increase, to give the opportunity to city dwellers to experience nature
around the corner and feel connected to natural processes as humans always experienced them in the past.
480
C. Hobohm et al.