Urban Agriculture as Habitat for Birds

Abstract

For many, the idea that cities can support conservation seems near anathema – is not urban development a growing threat to biodiversity? While true that cities are responsible for destroying or degrading countless acres of habitat and that, once developed, are unlikely to provide high quality habitat to species of greatest conservation concern, they are not without value – especially for bird communities. Urban green spaces have potential to support a diverse assemblage of species and, therefore, can contribute to some dimensions of avian conservation. Even small parcels of green space within cities can attract birds of conservation concern, especially when patches are collectively managed as networks of green space (Goddard et al. 2009). Urban green spaces are represented by a wide variety of land uses, including parks, cemeteries, green walls, green roofs, and the focus of this book – urban agriculture (also commonly referred to more generally as “urban gardens”). Urban gardens and agricultural areas comprise a major component of green space within many cities (Loram et al. 2007), reaching an impressive 86 % in León, Nicaragua (Gonzalez-Garcia and Sal 2008). In some cases, these small gardens can make important contributions to conservation. For example, biologists and managers in the UK are designing green roofs (also called “eco roofs”) to provide habitat for the rare and protected black redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros; Grant 2006). Thus, any greening of cities, including by way of urban agriculture, can rightly be viewed as an opportunity to improve the ecological condition and conservation value of our cities.