Designing Habitats in Urban Environments - Design with the Desert: Conservation and Sustainable Development - page 383

22
Designing Habitats in Urban Environments*
Margaret Livingston
CONTENTS
22.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 385
22.2 Design Approach ............................................................................................................... 386
22.2.1 Site Analysis ........................................................................................................... 386
22.2.2 Vegetation Analysis ............................................................................................... 386
22.2.3 Analysis of Other Resources ................................................................................ 388
22.2.4 Development of the Design .................................................................................. 388
22.3 Design Guidelines ............................................................................................................. 388
22.3.1 Bird Habitats ........................................................................................................... 390
22.3.2 Hummingbird Habitats ........................................................................................ 392
22.3.3 Butterfly Habitats ................................................................................................... 393
22.4 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 395
References ..................................................................................................................................... 396
22.1 Introduction
Maintaining biological linkages among urban and natural areas has long been considered
an important concept among conservationists, land managers, wildlife biologists, and
landscape ecologists involved in human and wildlife interactions. 1 These linkages, for
example, support crucial ecosystem functions including facilitation of genetic diversity,
population maintenance, and seasonal movements of species. Linkages typically consist
of vegetative patches within a developed matrix that are connected by corridors to larger
natural areas. Studies have suggested that particular types of wildlife utilize these cor-
ridors; however, the direct benefits with regard to wildlife population dynamics are still
questioned. 2 Furthermore, there has been concern about the possible negative effects of
enhancing the connectedness of corridors and patches, such as transmission of contagious
disease, increased fire potential due to additional fuel from larger massing of plants, and
increased transport of invasive plant species. 3 Adopting a restorative approach to the
design of urban patches that incorporates the spatial patterns and species found in exist-
ing patches of natural vegetation associated with wildlife habitat may minimize these
negative impacts. This chapter discusses a design framework for developing such areas,
in addition to the significance of selection and arrangement of plants for attracting wild-
life in urban spaces.
* This chapter is based on the article, Livingston, M., “Landscape design for attracting wildlife in southwestern
urban environments” for the Urban Wildlife Conservation 4th International Symposium , 1999.
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