MODULE 5: Urban ecology

AGENDA 

1. Alagona: city nature
2. Some ethical questions about city nature
• its value
• should we rewild cities (report)
• our responsibilities for city nature
3. If time: the endangered species act

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Peter Alagona, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities, ch. 8 "Home to roost"

Once upon a time.... 

• Ecologists thought of nature and cities as separate
• If ecologists wanted to study nature, they studied forests, deserts, coral reefs, prairies, etc.
• More recently, a new focus on nature IN cities
  
  
  
• Cities are ecosystems, but atypical -- dominated by one species (us), import/export a lot, bright, loud, constantly changing, polluted (Alagona ch. 6)

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(1) Does "city nature" have more/less/different value from wild nature

Ideas about wildness--

EO Wilson

• seeing a wild bald eagle

Cronon--"What's Wrong With Wilderness"

• Alagona: the bald eagles of Pittsburgh, translocated from Canada, watched via webcam

Where did you go, what did you see? (images)

• Was it ho-hum because not wild...boring...depleted
• Or pretty cool?

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(2) Should we rewild cities?

1. adding "controlled" nature: Arboretum, Klyde Warren Park
2. rewilding a city--how is that different?

REPORT

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(3) Do we have extra responsibility for "city nature"?

Clare Palmer

• all animals have interests we should take into consideration
• but we have special obligations when we're responsible for their problems

Building bridges

• bridge over Mara river  (wildebeest problems not due to humans)
• bridge over LA freeway  (mountain lion problems are due to humans

Protecting migratory birds from flying into windows

Whiterock eagles nest blown out of tree (2024)

1. eaglets not imperiled by humans
2. but does their proximity make them part of our community?
3. rescue efforts

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Material below not on final

Saving the bald eagle (Alagona)

1782 - chosen as US national bird, common throughout North America

1950s -- nearly extinct due to habitat loss, poisoning by DDT, shooting, egg collecting

1948 - Migratory Bird Treaty Act 

1940 - Bald Eagle Protection Act

1972 - Clean Water Act 

1973 - Endangered Species Act  

The Endangered Species Act (1973)

1. Covers plants and animals that are threatened or endangered
2. For listed species, (a) federal government can't take actions that further endanger, and (b) harming is prohibited on public and private land, and (c) US Fish and Wildlife must design and implement a recovery plan
3. Harming is direct (hunting, fishing) OR indirect (habitat destruction) 
4. Passed with broad bipartisan support in 1973, signed by President Nixon

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The recent politics of the Endangered Species Act

2019 -- "US Significantly Weakens Endangered Species Act"

2024 -- "Biden Administration Moves To Restore Endangered Species Protections"

2025 -- "By Redefining 'Harm' Agencies Seek to End Longstanding Wildlife Protections"

• proposed change: species protected "only from intentional killing or injury like through hunting or trapping"
  
• species would no longer be protected from habitat loss
• for this change: logging, mining, oil and gas industries
• against this change: environmental organizations