This could happen anywhere in Australia:
Biodiversity conservation going to the dogs

Somewhere in crowded suburbia is a small creek with a bit of bush left behind by accident. It is a refuge for swamp wallabies, blue wrens and many other species of the biodiversity kin.

‘User groups’, that is locals and their dogs demand that the last bit of green is for their ‘recreation’ and not Australian flora and fauna. Pet owners allow that their roaming dogs destroy the last small fragmented refuges where native wildlife can survive.

Recently a council voted to fence dogs out of the park "to manage the growing dog population in the municipality." There are “problems with dog behaviour…They (swamp wallabies) are threatened and chased and killed by dogs.”

Anger and vandalism followed. Local pet owners demand to "make the park off-leash for dogs.” The dispute requires 'conflict experts’ from outside to get involved.

In a place where everything is 'dog friendly’ and where half of Australian households own at least one dog, they implicitly ‘voted with their paws’ to be 'wildlife unfriendly'.

* Conflict experts called in following a dispute over a dog fence in Coburg >>
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-09/merribek-calls-in-conflict-experts-about-coburg-dog-fence/106541266

* A 'balancing act' as council votes to fence dogs out of park, sparking safety concerns >>
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-21/merri-creek-dog-fence-swamp-wallaby-coburg-victoria/105675854
#biodiversity #wildlife #conservation #UserGroups #dogs #pets #roaming #DogOwners #TheBush #recreation #parks #FOMC #fences #UrbanEcology #extinction #councils #WildlifeUnfriendly

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

Urban coyotes are denning next door: here’s what to know

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.optimistdaily.com/2026/03/urban-coyotes-are-denning-next-door-heres-what-to-know/

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