Description
Book SynopsisOne of Smithsonian Magazine's Favorite Books of 2022With wildlife thriving in cities, we have the opportunity to create vibrant urban ecosystems that serve both people and animals. The Accidental Ecosystem tells the story of how cities across the United States went from having little wildlife to filling, dramatically and unexpectedly, with wild creatures. Today, many of these cities have more large and charismatic wild animals living in them than at any time in at least the past 150 years. Why have so many citiesthe most artificial and human-dominated of all Earth's ecosystemsgrown rich with wildlife, even as wildlife has declined in most of the rest of the world? And what does this paradox mean for people, wildlife, and nature on our increasingly urban planet? The Accidental Ecosystem is the first book to explain this phenomenon from a deep historical perspective, and its focus includes a broad range of species and cities. Cities covered include New York City, Los Angeles, San Franc
Trade Review"Historian Alagona skillfully demonstrates how America’s cities have become ‘weird wildlife refuges,’ in this hopeful account. He sets the stage by describing animal life in cities in times past: many metropolises were founded on sites of biological richness, but as cities grew, wildlife populations declined. But in the past few decades, that’s changed, and cities have become places with rich ecosystems that have fostered an ‘explosion of wildlife’. . . . Alagona argues that people must learn to live with wildlife."
* Publishers Weekly *
“Alagona shows that wildlife in urban areas can be a blessing, a curse, or both. Ultimately, he sees a golden opportunity to redefine our relationship with wildlife and perhaps with each other as we share urban ecosystems.” * Natural Resource Management Today *
"Highly readable and relevant." * Forbes *
"This book is equal parts history and science lessons, both of which are delivered in an accessible and engaging manner." * The Quarterly Review of Biology *
"A marvelous history of the present. . . . an eminently teachable book." * California History *
"The Accidental Ecosystem by Peter Alagona, explains why urban neighborhoods like yours and mine, are being slowly repopulated by wild animals. Repopulation is the key, because the locations of early cities were originally chosen for their access to water, forests, and surrounding agricultural resources."
* Triangle Gardener *
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Where the Wild Things Are, Now
1: Hot Spots
2: The Urban Barnyard
3: Nurturing Nature
4: Bambi Boom
5: Room to Roam
6: Out of the Shadows
7: Close Encounters
8: Home to Roost
9: Hide and Seek
10: Creature Discomforts
11: Catch and Release
12: Damage Control
13: Fast-Forward
14: Embracing the Urban Wild
Coda: Lost and Found
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
