Ecological models and urban wildlife

摘要

The promotion of urban ecological values is currently receiving a certain degree of political attention in the Netherlands, although not nearly as much as housing and jobs. In recent years, wildlife in and around cities has been studied as part of a long-term project called The Ecological City. One of the questions being studied is how cities could be provided with a sustainable network of green areas (including water bodies), i.e., areas that could house viable plant and animal populations. The present paper reviews two questions. It first discusses how the viability of animal populations can be assessed, using a specially developed spatial expert model called LARCH-city. The second question that ensues is whether such a sustainable urban ecological network can actually be developed and maintained? The first question will be answered by illustrating the functions of the LARCH expert model, and specifically its application to urban areas. Answering the second question requires linking ecological expertise with expertise in the area of planning and people's wishes with regard to the use of and perception of urban green space. This is currently the focal point of our research.