Imagine living in a city where the annoying honk of everyday traffic is drowned by chirping bird songs, where hedgehogs can safely wander through backyards, and bees buzz happily among gardens. Sounds ideal, doesn’t it? This vision isn’t a far-off dream anymore — Architects and urban planners around the world are rethinking how our cities interact with wildlife, making urban landscapes friendlier for all creatures great and small.
Let’s be honest: we humans haven’t been the most considerate neighbours for animals. Glass buildings, roads through every terrain and thorny fences have created obstacle courses for wildlife, leaving many species struggling to adapt. Any attempt to rectify this therefore comes as positive news. We’re learning that urban architecture and wildlife can coexist — and some of the creative solutions being implemented are as heart-warming as they are ingenious.
A Transparent Solution for Glass Buildings
Let’s start with one of the biggest offenders: glass buildings. Sleek, modern, and striking to look at — these are actually deadly for birds. Reflections of the sky and trees on the glass delude the birds, and they fly straight into them. The result? Hundreds of thousands of bird collisions every year. In fact, in the US alone, over a billion birds die after hitting buildings!
The impact of glass buildings on birds led many to reflect on it. In New York City, a law passed in 2020 requires building constructions to be bird-friendly by using materials that have low Threat Factor (TF) according to the American Bird Conservancy’s rating system. These materials can include fritted glass that have patterns that can alert birds, thereby reducing the likelihood of collisions.
Hedgehog Highways
Meanwhile, on the ground, spiky little nocturnal hedgehogs are often cut short by garden fences when they are out hunting or seeking a mate. In the UK, where European hedgehog numbers have plummeted to the point that they have been classified as Near Threatened by IUCN, communities had to take action. Enter the “hedgehog highway” — a network created to address this issue sensitively.
Residents created tiny holes in fences and walls that are big enough for a hedgehog to go through, allowing them to roam freely between the green spaces of their gardens at night. This path has prevented hedgehogs from the threat of road accidents in these areas. A few developers are also including these holes in new housing estates as an architectural element. Its incorporation is a small tweak in their projects, but is making a huge difference to protect the little mammals.
Green Roofs and Living Walls
Developing green roofs and ‘living’ walls is possibly the most stunning way to blend city living with nature. Picture this: dense growth of plants where bees buzz around flowers and chirping birds make sure to stop by, all of this happening in a residential garden!
In an attempt to promote and support sustainable living, a conscientious gardener and his family based out of Bengaluru in Karnataka, India, have transformed their 1500 sq ft (1.39 a) residence into a lush green garden. They’ve lent this space to over 2000 plants that attract more than 45 species of birds and more than 30 types of butterflies. While such endeavours have struck a chord with many, such positive initiatives are being embraced by urban compounds as well. Residents of a society in Bengaluru developed a ‘food forest’ within their premises. Not only did this provide fresh produce for the community, but it also led to the welcoming return of various bird species, including bulbuls, kingfishers, and sparrows.
Buzzing Bee Hotels
Among nature’s pollinators are the busy bees. Habitat loss has left many of them seeking cities as their alternative homes, and to help them survive, man-made structures called bee hotels are being designed in Great Britain to give bees a safe place to reside. These bee hotels support solitary bees that are highly effective pollinators, more than even honeybees!
For honeybees in particular, beekeeping on rooftops has been a Parisian practice for decades, with hives situated atop landmarks such as Notre-Dame Cathedral, Opéra Garnier, Musée d’Orsay, and the Grand Palais. Not only does this preserve the bee population, it allows the bees to provide environmental benefits and maintain the city’s floral diversity.
Bridges for Wildlife
After years of reiteration by environmentalists and conservationists, many governments across the globe have finally taken heed to the issue of animal-vehicle collisions on roads that fragment thriving ecosystems. In countries like the UK, Netherlands, US and Canada, even major roads and railways are being designed keeping wildlife in mind. Imagine a highway that conveniences us, and has a lush green bridge arching over it that conveniences animals! In the Netherlands, these “ecoducts” already exist and allow animals like deer, badgers, and foxes to cross busy roads safely. Canada has taken a similar approach in Banff National Park, where wildlife overpasses and underpasses help animals like bears and elk navigate human-made barriers.
Cities That Care
What’s driving nature-friendly changes across the world? It’s awareness. We’re beginning to understand that our cities don’t have to be concrete jungles, they can be vibrant ecosystems where humans and wildlife can coexist. The innovative ideas mentioned above are proof enough that human beings can create changes that can have a massive and positive impact on the planet’s future.
As more cities and states get inspired from their neighbours and join this movement, the urban landscapes of tomorrow could look a lot more like shared spaces than battlegrounds between humans and wildlife. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to live in a city that sustains life of every form? If you wish to know more about wildlife conservation and our organisation’s efforts towards it, make sure to subscribe to our newsletter!
[Photo (C) Wildlife SOS/Akash Dolas]
