Accidental Ecosystems: Unraveling the Complexities of Urban Wildlife

Booked on Planning

Prepare for a fascinating exploration of the unsung urban ecosystems with author Peter Alagona. We'll navigate the intricate ecological and historical facets of his book Accidental Ecosystems, tracing the evolution of urban parks, the impact of climate change on human-wildlife interactions, and the implications of zoonotics. Venturing into the green realm of urban parks, we'll examine their metamorphosis from pastoral to forest-like settings. Together, we'll unravel Central Park's genesis and the often misconstrued concept of wilderness, while casting a critical eye on the North American Model's approach to wildlife management. At the end of our conversation we get into the pressing concern of biological diversity loss and its far-reaching implications.
Show Notes:

• To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/
• To learn more about Peter and his work visit https://www.peteralagona.com/about
• To dive deeper into the Gotham Coyote project check out https://www.gothamcoyote.org/
• Recommended further readings from Peter:
  • Beloved Beasts by Michelle Nyhouse, a history of conservation of the United States
  • Pests by Bethany Brookshire, a discussion of why certain animals in certain contexts are labeled pests

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Chapters

1. The Accidental Ecosystem (00:00:00)

2. Urban Parks (00:12:02)

3. The North American Model (00:19:29)

4. Declining Hunting Culture and Conservation Funding (00:24:34)

5. Importance of Urban Wildlife and Biodiversity (00:29:35)

6. Urban Streams and Wildlife Conservation (00:39:30)