The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology

"This Handbook contains something here for everyone who wishes to know more about the history and geography of urban ecology: about where we are and how we came to be here. The big issues, including climate change and health and population increase, are all tackled." Philip James, Professor of Ecology, University of Salford, UK.

"This Handbook is a guide to your habitat, your nature, your world, and how to sustain it into the future. Read it. Study it. Put its scholarship to work in your garden, neighbourhood, and city. The many dimensions of the science and practice of urban ecology are laid bare: its philosophy. methodology, and findings are synthesized and explored by the field's leading experts. Comprehensive and authoritative, this is a superb handbook." John M. Marzluff, Professor, University of Washington, USA.

The birds, animals, insects, trees and plants encountered by the majority of the world's people are those that survive in, adapt to, or are introduced to, urban areas. Some of these organisms give great pleasure; others invade, colonise and occupy neglected and hidden areas such as derelict land and sewers. Urban areas have a high biodiversity and nature within cities provides many ecosystem services including cooling the urban area, reducing urban flood risk, filtering pollutants, supplying food, and providing accessible recreation. Yet, protecting urban nature faces competition from other urban land uses.

The Routledge Handbook of Urban Ecology analyses this biodiversity and complexity and provides the science to guide policy and management to make cities more attractive, more enjoyable, and better for our own health and that of the planet. This Handbook contains 50 interdisciplinary contributions from leading academics and practitioners from across the world to provide an in-depth coverage of the main elements of practical urban ecology. It is divided into six parts, dealing with the philosophies.