It's that time again in Ōtautahi-Christchurch, NZ, when the fruit on the te kouka cabbage trees are at peak ripeness. That brings in the kererū to parts of the city.

Here are some of my photos of kererū eating te kouka fruit in the city from this long weekend. It includes what I think is the first time I've seen a kererū on Rose Street (that's on one of my fortnightly survey routes, which I've run since 2008).

https://www.inaturalist.nz/observations/347375376

#kererū #Ōtautahi #Christchurch #nz #birds #iNaturalistNZ #frugivory #UrbanEcology #nature

🛰️ This is an RGB composite of derived metrics from Calgary satellite imagery at a 10x10m resolution. Extracting these additional urban environmental indicators significantly enhances the quality of data analysis and, consequently, the decisions based on it. Currently, one version of my Tree Canopy model has achieved 96.8% accuracy, a testament to the high precision of the methodology.

💻 I am now retraining the machine learning model to move beyond analyzing Calgary in large blocks and focus on every individual yard. This will allow us to account for not only large forest patches but also, where possible, every mature tree in the city — including those behind your fence or right under your window. These residential trees are what provide the shade, comfort, and fresh air we all enjoy. My goal is to ensure the final assessment reflects the contribution of every single tree to our environmental quality.

#Calgary #yyc #TreeCanopy #GIS #DataScience #GreennesOfCalgary #UrbanEcology

Les #jardins privés, des refuges précieux pour la biodiversité : « Nous avons des orvets, des lézards et pas mal de papillons »
Représentant une large part des territoires urbanisés, ces espaces privés sont souvent considérés comme des parcelles artificialisées alors qu’ils peuvent héberger une certaine #biodiversité. Villes et scientifiques tentent de mieux évaluer celle-ci pour la favoriser.
Par #PerrineMouterde #LeMonde #biogeographie #biogeography #ecologie #ecology #geographie #urbanecology #biodiversity

https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2026/04/04/les-jardins-prives-des-refuges-precieux-mais-menaces-pour-preserver-la-biodiversite_6676551_3244.html

Les jardins privés, des refuges précieux pour la biodiversité : « Nous avons des orvets, des lézards et pas mal de papillons »

Représentant une large part des territoires urbanisés, ces espaces privés sont souvent considérés comme des parcelles artificialisées alors qu’ils peuvent héberger une certaine biodiversité. Villes et scientifiques tentent de mieux évaluer celle-ci pour la favoriser.

Le Monde
Spotted a ring-necked #parakeet in #Oxford University Parks today (near the Parsons Pleasure side). First one I've seen here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose-ringed_parakeet
#science #ecology #urbanEcology #birds
Rose-ringed parakeet - Wikipedia

What if every street tree was a story waiting to be read?

A tarot deck as urban lens: noticing care, damage, creativity, and the quiet relationships that hold cities together. Matthew López-Jensen & Lindsay Campbell show us that nothing in the city has to change — only how you look at it.

And once you start noticing… the city starts asking something back.

👉 Read the full essay: https://www.thenatureofcities.com/TNOC/2026/03/17/street-tree-tarot-is-a-tool-for-storytelling-connection-and-reflection/

#UrbanNature #StreetTrees #TNOCessay #Storytelling #CityAsText #UrbanEcology

Giving back to Calgary: an article was published today about my satellite research of the city!

It is important to me to use my knowledge as a geoscientist and environmental data scientist to help make our new home better and greener. Thanks to LiveWire Calgary for the interest in this topic!

https://livewirecalgary.com/2026/03/17/new-satellite-study-shows-calgarys-uneven-urban-greenery/

#DataScience #EnvironmentalScience #RemoteSensing #Calgary #PublicEngagement #GIS #Sustainability #RStats #MDEM #yycPlanning #UrbanPlanning #ClimateResilience #NatureBasedSolutions #UrbanEcology #GreenInfrastructure #SmartCities #CalgaryUrbanism #GreennessOfCalgary

Urbanization shapes evolution through both chance (drift, colonization history) and selection, and new species interactions can rapidly rewrite that evolutionary story. (9/9)

👉 https://doi.org/qtm4

#Plantscience #AoBpapers #UrbanEvolution #PlantEcology #EvolutionaryBiology #FlowerColour #UrbanEcology

🌸🌼Join us to learn about the newly published “Random and non-random variation in flower colour along an urban-rural gradient in the introduced mustard Hesperis matronalis” in @AnnBot by Katherine Maunder and co-authors. 🧵 (1/9)

👉 https://doi.org/qtm4

#Plantscience #AoBpapers #UrbanEvolution #PlantEcology #EvolutionaryBiology #FlowerColour #UrbanEcology