Wildlife Flees the Countryside For Taste of City Life
Tags: Britain, Countryside, Gardens, Services
Urban areas such as Natural England's annual state of the natural environment report claims.
The report states that domestic gardens "make a major contribution to the maintenance of biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services in urban areas." Native animals such as the common frog, song thrush and hedgehog are found in significant numbers in urban areas and domestic gardens despite their decline in the countryside.
According to the Government Environment Agency, 33% of land in England and Wales is tilled for crops and almost three quarters of the land in England and Wales is used for food production. But these areas are not suitable to support natural habitats for many animals. However, the report claims that brownfield land "provides secure breeding and feeding areas commonly absent from land under agricultural management."
Species are also able to "exploit a wide range of niches in the urban environment from buildings to parks, gardens - and previously undeveloped 'brownfield land.'" Certain species of bats, such as serotines and pipistrelles, "make use of cavities and internal building voids for hibernation and breeding."
Previously undeveloped brownfield sites are now seen to provide vital habitat for many invertebrates too, "the interest in the conservation importance of brownfield land has grown as many sites have been found to harbour a particularly species-rich invertebrate community including scarce or rare species."
An overall increase of bird population of 14% between 1994 and 2006 proves that the urban environment is helping them to breed and prosper. 'Wider Countryside' butterfly species may now be more likely to be found in suburban areas than in rural areas.
Despite the advantages of urban environments in the sustaining of wildlife, all of Britain's major environment groups, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and the National Trust, believe that Government plans to develop urban areas should take into account and work with the natural environment. William Proby, Chairman of the National Trust, says "we recognise the need for some development and we are doing our bit to encourage new housing developments that can be done in an environmentally sensitive way." At a 2007 debate, Proby made reference to the erosion of the countryside's "redeeming, restorative qualities."
The Government Environment Agency predicts that by 2016, nearly 12% of England's land will be urbanised, compared to the current figure of 10%.
