Study: How Urban Parks Can Support Biodiversity

A new study highlights the ways that urban parks can serve both recreation and and conservation purposes. According to an Inside Climate News article by Kiley Price, “The study revealed dual biodiversity and human benefits from playgrounds, bodies of water, nature preserves and dog parks.”

While urbanization can threaten ecosystems, urban green spaces can be planned thoughtfully to foster biodiversity and provide safe havens for urban wildlife. “One green space doesn’t have to be just biodiversity or just athletic fields—like, think about how we can utilize the finite space that we have,” says study co-author Corey Callaghan. “He added that tiny tweaks, such as landscaping with native plants, can help make manicured parks more nature-friendly. 

The study found the single biggest trait that benefits people and wildlife is the size of the park.” Larger parks offer more biodiversity and more opportunities for human use, says Callaghan. The results show that larger urban green spaces, which are often difficult to preserve, bring increased benefits to both residents and wildlife.