Contents Introduction 6 chapter one paving the way Mmm Wild Breakfast 8 Grow It Yourself 8 A Wheely Good Idea 9 Nature Not Today Thanks 10 Beware the Wild Beasts 10 Factories for the Future 13 Pave It 14 Through the Cracks 16 chapter two road block Helloooo Under There 18 A Lawn How Royal 19 Biodiversity Blues 21 Make Way for Water 22 Rewild the Wildlife 23 Sprouting Something Good 26
chapter three life in the city My Way or the Highway Marsh This Way Going Wild Downtown Big Scary Nature The Host with the Most Flower Power Going Batty The Dirt on Cities 28 28 29 31 31 32 34 34 chapter four wildlife welcome Climb That Tree Sidewalk Safari Dirt to the Rescue Find Your Human Herd Tree-mendous Kid Power Be a Scientist Citizen Walking on the Wild Side Welcome Home 36 36 37 38 39 39 40 42 Resources Acknowledgments Glossary Index 44 45 46 47
Introduction have have you ever run from a bear or a lion If you’re one of the world’s 3 5-billion city dwellers you’re probably safe from big wild animals After all humans have spent thousands of years keeping unwanted creatures out of our cities But did you know that many cities are reshaping themselves now to let more wild nature in I’m a city dweller myself but I never expected to be I imagined becoming a park ranger and living in semi wilderness Then I met my husband who loves cities like his hometown of Buenos Aires Argentina which has thirteen million people Together we started searching for a place that would be comfortable for both of us and we chose a small city on Canada’s west coast Here we can visit museums art galleries and theaters just as easily as we can spot woodpeckers barred owls otters and deer I used to think this city nature balance was only possible in a small place but lately I’ve been reading about big cities making space for wild nature too In Seoul South Korea city workers ripped out a highway to release the stream trapped beneath In Adelaide Australia kids helped plant three million native trees creating new homes for local wildlife Around the world adults and kids are breaking up pavement and rewilding our cities for both human health and the health of the planet How Grab a shovel and some binoculars and come find out Our family loves a day at the beach even when it’s cold enough for winter jackets MICHELLE MULDER 6 6
Looking out my living room window a few years ago I learned that raccoons love cherries as much as I do TIM BR AY Making Tracks While I was writing this book I tried to spend at least half an hour a day enjoying nature My daughter and I cloud gazed in a meadow listened to red-winged blackbirds sing in a bog poked around beaches and watched pods of orcas frolic in the waves This meadow in our local park which turns purple with camas flowers in May was one of our very favorite spots The flower-filled field at our local park is perfect for cloud gazing MICHELLE MULDER 7
