Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
the presence of trees—in the yard or in nearby forested parks—increases the
price of a home by 5 percent to 10 percent relative to comparable homes with-
out trees. Researchers in Lubbock, Texas, were more direct in estimating the
value of birds to home sales in 2008 and 2009. Attracting an additional “de-
sirable” bird species to a neighborhood increased the sales price of homes by
$32,000. (Desirable birds were those that were relatively uncommon in Lub-
bock and associated with increased trees and shrubs in yards.) In this way a
neighborhood that provided habitat for American robins, blue jays, and
mourning doves might enjoy home values averaging $32,000 more than those
in a neighborhood able to attract only two desirable species, such as northern
mockingbirds and western kingbirds. Improving the vegetative diversity in
your yard, nearby park, or rental property makes ecological and economic
sense.
Green neighborhoods may also help break the cycle of poverty, crime,
and unhealthy lifestyle that challenge many urban people. In Philadelphia,
for example, gun assaults and vandalism declined in neighborhoods that re-
stored healthy greenery to vacant lots. Residents of such neighborhoods also
reported being less stressed and exercising more than did those living in
neighborhoods that did not revitalize the ecology of vacant spaces. The prac-
tice of ecological restoration and the tangible health benei ts it provides moti-
vate residents to remain engaged in civic projects and thereby improve even
more of their environment. This positive feedback can reconnect people with
nature and improve the social and ecological health of cities.
Residents of biologically diverse cities that are actively engaged in eco-
logical projects are resilient. They become familiar with their community's
history and local knowledge and create new experiences through scientii c
inquiry. They forge partnerships with nonproi t organizations and govern-
mental agencies that may be called on in times of emergency. They practice
self-organization and stewardship that enhances resilience to ecological and
