Managing Urban EnvironmentsManaging Urban Environmentsfor Wildlifefor Wildlife

Robert A. McCleeryRobert A. McCleery11, Chistopher E, Chistopher E22. . Moorman, Mark C. WallaceMoorman, Mark C. Wallace33 and and

David DrakeDavid Drake44

11University of FloridaUniversity of Florida22North Carolina State University North Carolina State University 33Texas Tech University Texas Tech University 44University of Wisconsin University of Wisconsin

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

►50% of the human population lives in urban and suburban areas.50% of the human population lives in urban and suburban areas.►Urban settings have implications for human health, quality of life, education, Urban settings have implications for human health, quality of life, education,

and estheticsand esthetics►Wildlife ecologists have become increasingly engaged in and around urban Wildlife ecologists have become increasingly engaged in and around urban

areas because of the potential impact of working in these environmentsareas because of the potential impact of working in these environments►Urban areas are fundamentally different than rural and wild areasUrban areas are fundamentally different than rural and wild areas

Most human-wildlife interactions occur in urban/suburban areas

Ecological Processes, Soils and Ecological Processes, Soils and HydrologyHydrology

► Energy minimal net-primary production energy comes from fossil fuels food resources are available to

wildlife► Climate

increased temperatures humidity is lower, precipitation is

greater► Disturbance

suppression of large scale disturbances

increased anthropogenic disturbances► Evolution

selective pressures caused by humans are pronounced in urban areas

► Socioeconomics features of urbanization are

tied to social, economic, and political realities

► Soils compacted, sealed, and

impervious poor water retention

► Hydrology increased surface runoff,

channel size, water temperatures, nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and pesticides

Reduced biodiversity

Urban Vegetation Urban Vegetation

►Three Categories :Three Categories :

1.1. RemnantRemnantnative vegetative surrounded bynative vegetative surrounded by

developmentdevelopment

2.2. ColonizingColonizinginvasive, exotic, and early invasive, exotic, and early successional plantssuccessional plants

3.3. PlantedPlantedmanaged communities of nonnative managed communities of nonnative grasses and plantedgrasses and planted

shrubs, trees, and ground covershrubs, trees, and ground cover

►General CharacteristicsGeneral Characteristics simplified with increasing simplified with increasing

urbanizationurbanization widely spaced plantings of few widely spaced plantings of few

speciesspecies nonnative plants dominate the nonnative plants dominate the

core areas core areas snags and downed woody debris snags and downed woody debris

occur in low densities occur in low densities increased risk of drought because increased risk of drought because

of the runoff from impervious of the runoff from impervious surfacessurfaces

The abundance of snags and downed logs is low in the built environment, efforts should be focused on conserving these critical habitat elements

Wildlife Communities and UrbanizationWildlife Communities and Urbanization

►Three Categories :Three Categories :

1.1. AvoidersAvoiderssensitive to human activities andsensitive to human activities and

not able to use the anthropogenic not able to use the anthropogenic resourcesresources

2.2. AdaptersAdaptersedge species well adapted to the typical edge species well adapted to the typical suburban, backyard, forest–park matrixsuburban, backyard, forest–park matrix

3.3. ExploitersExploitershomogenous group of species that are homogenous group of species that are often not native to the region and highly often not native to the region and highly adapted to urban environmentadapted to urban environment

►General PatternsGeneral Patterns urbanization causes extinction and urbanization causes extinction and

local extirpation of native vertebratelocal extirpation of native vertebrate invasive nonnative species have invasive nonnative species have

replaced native wildlife, filling the replaced native wildlife, filling the ecological vacuumecological vacuum

densities and biomass of wildlife are densities and biomass of wildlife are highhigh

diversity generally decreases but diversity generally decreases but may increase with low-level of may increase with low-level of urbanizationurbanization

Diversity decreases in city centerDiversity decreases in city center

Demographic, Physiology and Demographic, Physiology and BehaviorBehavior

►DemographicsDemographics higher densities, higher densities,

fecundity and survival fecundity and survival ratesrates

anthropogenic causes anthropogenic causes of mortalityof mortality

►PhysiologyPhysiology larger individualslarger individuals reduced healthreduced health

►BehaviorsBehaviors reduced responses to reduced responses to

humans humans altered dietsaltered diets reduced migrationreduced migration use of structuresuse of structures loader vocalizationsloader vocalizations altered activity altered activity

patternspatterns

What is UrbanWhat is Urban

► Urban wildlife research is not Urban wildlife research is not restricted to cities and their restricted to cities and their surrounding suburbs or to surrounding suburbs or to natural areas within them. natural areas within them. Urban wildlife research also Urban wildlife research also includes investigations of includes investigations of wildlife in and around wildlife in and around concentrated human concentrated human developments of varying sizes, developments of varying sizes, and in areas and communities and in areas and communities connected to cities through connected to cities through transportation, utilities, or the transportation, utilities, or the flow of materials.flow of materials.

► Urban wildlife is an Urban wildlife is an inherently interdisciplinary inherently interdisciplinary field. field. We cannot truly We cannot truly

understand how patterns understand how patterns of human development of human development influence wildlife without influence wildlife without integrating social sciences integrating social sciences into ecological research.into ecological research.

Urban Study DesignUrban Study Design

►compare wildlife compare wildlife populations in populations in urban areas to less urban areas to less developed areas.developed areas.

►gradient approachgradient approach►using landscape using landscape

and patch metricsand patch metrics

►hypothesize what hypothesize what features are features are influencing wildlife influencing wildlife and relate them to and relate them to measured changesmeasured changes

►Account for scaleAccount for scale►Use multiple scalesUse multiple scales

Research LogisticsResearch Logistics

►meet with meet with stakeholder groupsstakeholder groups

►engage local engage local residentsresidents

►gain permission for gain permission for access to study access to study sitessites

►handle animals handle animals away from the away from the public’s eyepublic’s eye

►beware of theft and beware of theft and vandalismvandalism

►don’t let access don’t let access bias your study bias your study

Managing in the Urban Environment Managing in the Urban Environment -Practitioners-Practitioners

►Wildlife management is Wildlife management is people managementpeople management diversity of diversity of

landownerslandowners urban human–wildlife urban human–wildlife

conflictsconflicts public unsure of whom public unsure of whom

to contact for helpto contact for help

►Promoting programsPromoting programs direct contact with direct contact with

stakeholdersstakeholders build community build community

supportsupport outreach, outreach,

involvement and involvement and interpretationinterpretation

provide incentivesprovide incentives

Management of Wildlife in Exurban, Management of Wildlife in Exurban, Suburban, and Urban AreasSuburban, and Urban Areas

  Size of habitatSize of habitat ExurbanExurban Suburban and urbanSuburban and urban

Small habitat extentsSmall habitat extents Protection through development Protection through development ordinances, conservation ordinances, conservation subdivisions; collaborative subdivisions; collaborative backyard activity; appropriate backyard activity; appropriate park and open space park and open space managementmanagement  

Protection through Protection through development ordinances, development ordinances, conservation subdivisions; conservation subdivisions; collaborative backyard collaborative backyard habitats; appropriate park habitats; appropriate park and open space managementand open space management

Large habitat extents Protection through zoning and Protection through zoning and development ordinances, development ordinances, conservation subdivisions, conservation subdivisions, collaborative backyard activity; collaborative backyard activity; appropriate park and open appropriate park and open space managementspace management

Limited options; corridors or Limited options; corridors or stepping stones to help stepping stones to help wildlife move throughwildlife move through

Habitat Conservation and Habitat Conservation and ManagementManagement

►Focus on restoring Focus on restoring degraded sitesdegraded sites

►Conservation efforts Conservation efforts should be directed by should be directed by specific landownerspecific landowner

►Work collaboratively Work collaboratively with urban planners with urban planners and landscape and landscape architectsarchitects

►Educate local Educate local governments & governments & participate in public participate in public hearingshearings

►Map of potential Map of potential conservation lands conservation lands during planning during planning processprocess

Managing LandscapesManaging Landscapes

► Conserving landscapesConserving landscapes 60% of the landscape60% of the landscape

► Connectivity Connectivity corridorscorridors stepping Stonesstepping Stones

► Zoning Zoning Development ordinancesDevelopment ordinances Acceptable land useAcceptable land use

► Development patternsDevelopment patterns integrate open space into built integrate open space into built

environmentenvironment consolidate open areasconsolidate open areas city center deigncity center deign transit orient development transit orient development

► Conservation incentivesConservation incentives density bonusesdensity bonuses transferrable development transferrable development

rightsrights tax creditstax credits

Open-spaces and Green DevelopmentsOpen-spaces and Green Developments

► Invasive plant removalInvasive plant removal► Recreational effectsRecreational effects

close sensitive areasclose sensitive areas leash lawsleash laws

► Early successional HabitatsEarly successional Habitats need disturbanceneed disturbance fire and timber regulations fire and timber regulations

can be restrictivecan be restrictive

► Green DevelopmentsGreen Developments green neighborhoodsgreen neighborhoods conservation subdivisionsconservation subdivisions

► During constructionDuring construction protect treesprotect trees silt fencessilt fences

► During post constructionDuring post construction use native plantsuse native plants use water, pesticides and use water, pesticides and

fertilizers sparinglyfertilizers sparingly keep pets indoors keep pets indoors

Open Spaces Within Urban AreasOpen Spaces Within Urban Areas

► Riparian Buffers Riparian Buffers stabilize stream banksstabilize stream banks reduce pollution reduce pollution larger buffers provide larger buffers provide

wildlife habitatwildlife habitat

► Greenways and trailsGreenways and trails wider greenways (>100 m) wider greenways (>100 m)

are better breeding birdsare better breeding birds avoid cutting vegetation avoid cutting vegetation

next to paths next to paths

► ImpoundmentsImpoundments constructionconstruction

► irregular shorelinesirregular shorelines► sloping bankssloping banks► include islandsinclude islands

Water managementWater management►periodic drawdownsperiodic drawdowns

Greenways are multipurpose, linear, protected open spaces

Home Lot ManagementHome Lot Management

► LandscapingLandscaping native plantsnative plants fruit bearing plantsfruit bearing plants brush pilesbrush piles layer landscaping layer landscaping retain snags and deadwoodretain snags and deadwood

► Nest boxesNest boxes surrogates for natural surrogates for natural

cavitiescavities

► FeedersFeeders promotes seed eating promotes seed eating

speciesspecies clean feeder regularly clean feeder regularly

► Reducing collisionsReducing collisions place feeders close to place feeders close to

windowswindows do not reflect vegetation do not reflect vegetation

in windowsin windows use awningsuse awnings

Bird Collisions Bird Collisions

► Reducing collisionsReducing collisions place feeders close to place feeders close to

windowswindows angle window angle window

downwarddownward remove reflective remove reflective

vegetation from vegetation from windowwindow

install awningsinstall awnings Millions of birds die each year from collisions with windows

Nest boxes can should be designed and located as is appropriate for target wildlife species

Road ManagementRoad Management

► impact from roads may exceed hundreds of impact from roads may exceed hundreds of metersmeters

►Management approachesManagement approaches underpassesunderpasses overpassesoverpasses fences fences strategic road placementstrategic road placement

Attracting Wildlife Attracting Wildlife

► BirdsBirds water water feedersfeeders houseshouses cats indoorscats indoors

►MammalsMammals brush pilesbrush piles bat housesbat houses

► Reptiles and Reptiles and amphibiansamphibians piled rockspiled rocks covercover pondsponds

► ButterfliesButterflies sun sun waterwater caterpillar-host plantscaterpillar-host plants colorful flowerscolorful flowers

Damage in Urban/Suburban AreasDamage in Urban/Suburban Areas

► Economic, health-Economic, health-related, and natural related, and natural resource damageresource damage 8 billion $ to manage 8 billion $ to manage

wildlife in USwildlife in US greatest damage greatest damage

fromfrom►mice, ratsmice, rats► raccoonsraccoons►molesmoles►pigeonspigeons► starlingsstarlings

►Overabundant Overabundant speciesspecies Often edge-oriented Often edge-oriented

and habitat and habitat generalists.generalists.

►Many of the Many of the interactions suburban interactions suburban and urban residents and urban residents have with wildlife are have with wildlife are often perceived to be often perceived to be negative.negative.

Groups of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are often viewed as pests because of the mess their dropping make and the damage they can cause to residential lawns, golf courses, and ornamental plants

Wildlife Damage Management Wildlife Damage Management

► Identify the problem Identify the problem ► Use animal’s life Use animal’s life

history, ecology and history, ecology and behavior can be behavior can be used to resolve the used to resolve the problem.problem. trap placementtrap placement baitbait timing timing behavioral deterrentsbehavioral deterrents

► Controlling nuisance Controlling nuisance animalsanimals Nonlethal Nonlethal

►more accepted by the more accepted by the publicpublic

►not always effectsnot always effects► moves animal to new moves animal to new

locationlocation

Lethal Lethal ►can eliminate a nuisance can eliminate a nuisance

animalanimal►not always acceptednot always accepted

Reproductive controlsReproductive controls

Wildlife, like these once endangered brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), can easily habituate to people. Eliminating hand outs and the random implementation of diverse harassment techniques can help combat habituation

Methods for Managing Wildlife Methods for Managing Wildlife DamageDamage

►Take an integrated approachTake an integrated approach diverse techniquesdiverse techniques Randomness of times and locationsRandomness of times and locations

►Be proactive before the problem occursBe proactive before the problem occurs►Have a knowledge of state and federal lawsHave a knowledge of state and federal laws►Make ethical considerations Make ethical considerations

FUTURE DIRECTIONSFUTURE DIRECTIONS

►There will continue to be growing opportunities There will continue to be growing opportunities for practitioners and researchers in urban for practitioners and researchers in urban systemssystems

►The future of urban wildlife ecology and The future of urban wildlife ecology and management depends upon the new cohort of management depends upon the new cohort of biologists, and it will be what they make of it.biologists, and it will be what they make of it.