tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/topics/backyards-41284/articlesbackyards – The Conversation2022-06-08T18:40:24Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1832922022-06-08T18:40:24Z2022-06-08T18:40:24ZSmall green spaces can help keep cities cool during heat waves<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/465864/original/file-20220529-31399-bv5esc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=35%2C11%2C3950%2C2223&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Concrete and asphalt roads, and other built materials readily absorb, store and release heat, raising city temperatures, a phenomenon called the urban heat island.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pixabay)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A recent <a href="https://public.wmo.int/en/resources/united_in_science">World Meteorological Organization</a> report called heat waves the “deadliest meteorological hazard” from 2015 to 2019, affecting people living on all continents, and setting new national heat records in many regions. <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/b-c-heat-wave-tops-environment-canada-s-list-of-top-weather-events-in-2021-1.5710931">Canada’s top weather event in 2021 was British Columbia’s record-breaking heat</a>, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The temperature in Lytton, B.C., hit 49.6 C on June 29. The following day a wildfire destroyed 90 per cent of the town, killing two people and displacing 1,200 others. </p>
<p>Heat waves also exacerbate existing health issues, including cardiovascular and respiratory disease. They’re associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1104625">increased hospital admissions, psychological stress and aggressive behavior</a>, as well as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crvi.2007.12.001">excess mortality</a>. </p>
<p>During heat waves, the highest temperatures are often found in urbanized areas. Urbanization is almost always associated with an increase in paved, impervious areas, and often a decrease in greenery. Concrete and asphalt roads, and other built materials readily absorb, store and release heat, raising city temperatures, a phenomenon called the urban heat island.</p>
<p>Many studies have shown that urban forests can reduce the urban heat island, and many policies focus their attention on large green spaces. Small green spaces, such as yards, rooftops and small parcels of undeveloped land, can make impressive contributions to lowering urban heat, but they are often overlooked when developing strategies for urban cooling.</p>
<h2>The effect of small green spaces</h2>
<p>Cities rarely have the opportunity to add large green spaces to help counter the effects of heatwaves. Smaller vegetated spaces, however, can still meaningfully decrease local land temperatures. </p>
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<img alt="An aerial view of a city centre with railway tracks, paved parking lot, roads and several small scattered green spaces." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467550/original/file-20220607-24-p0t9u7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Small green spaces, such as yards, rooftops and small parcels of undeveloped land, can make impressive contributions to lowering urban heat, but they are often overlooked when developing strategies for urban cooling.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>A recent study in Adelaide, Australia, found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2021.104046">tree canopy cover and, to a lesser extent, grass cover decreased local daytime surface temperatures by up to 6 C</a> during extreme summer heat conditions. Further inland, suburban yards and gardens can decrease local surface temperatures up to 5 C. </p>
<p>At a quite small scale, on the order of tens of square metres, trees reduced daytime surface temperatures twice as much as grass cover. But grass and other small, low-lying plants, grow relatively quickly, compared to trees. </p>
<p>Cities should adopt short-term and long-term strategies to respond to extreme heat, including the replacement of paved and impervious surfaces with grasses and turf, and increasing tree plantings to boost canopy coverage. </p>
<h2>Amplifying the cooling effect</h2>
<p>Furthermore, when managing small green spaces, city planners and foresters can select tree species based on their ability to cool the environment. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145211">Green spaces with a high diversity of tree species have a greater cooling effect in spring, summer and fall</a>. They also have a larger maximum drop in temperature in the summer, compared to spaces that are less diverse. </p>
<p>For example, tree canopies with large leaves and high transpiration rates — the evaporation of water from plants occurring at the leaves — could provide more cooling. </p>
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<img alt="A sidewalk meanders between buildings, edged by plants and trees of various heights." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467547/original/file-20220607-13238-bcdub7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Planting a variety of species, of different heights, can have a larger cooling effect than tall trees alone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
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<p>The structure of green space may also influence its cooling efficiency. In summer, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.05.014">a plant community with multiple layers of trees, shrubs and herbs can further decrease air temperature by 1 C on a sunny day and 0.5 C on a cloudy day, compared with an area only dominated by tall trees</a>. </p>
<h2>Tree groupings</h2>
<p>The layout of the green spaces — their spatial configuration — is another factor that the city planners should care about when thinking of the cooling capacity of small green spaces. When green spaces are heavily fragmented — broken up into smaller pieces — spread further apart or unevenly distributed, their cooling contribution is lower.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2017.03.043">A study investigating the spatial configuration of green spaces in two cities</a>, Baltimore, Md., and Sacramento, Calif., showed varying results, for example. The researchers looked at the total perimeter of green patches for each square kilometre of land (a metric called edge density) and measured the cooling effect. A greater edge density was associated with less cooling in Baltimore, but more cooling in Sacramento. </p>
<p>The discrepancy is likely due to the local conditions: More shade might be being cast by trees onto surfaces with cooling effects, muting their effects. Or a green patch with a larger edge density could include a larger number of smaller and fragmented tree patches with weaker evapotranspiration (evaporation from the land surface, plus transpiration from plants). For a manager, the trade-offs can be tricky to navigate. </p>
<p>But overall, trees usually have a stronger effect on cooling than grass. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/f11080825">Planting trees in groups, not individually or in lines</a>, is recommended for regulating the microclimate (local climate conditions near the Earth’s surface). </p>
<p>Small green spaces can offer a lot of summer cooling in cities. And cities can learn to manage the configuration of small green spaces better to get more cooling benefits and minimize the trade-offs.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/183292/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Lingshan Li does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>During heatwaves, the highest temperatures are often found in urbanized areas. Small green spaces are often overlooked as a way to cool urban areas.Lingshan Li, PhD candidate, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1501732020-12-09T19:10:32Z2020-12-09T19:10:32ZWhy city policy to ‘protect the Brisbane backyard’ is failing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370677/original/file-20201122-15-1siy7ns.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=6%2C0%2C4019%2C3024&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Brisbane's inner southern suburbs.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rachel Gallagher</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Urban consolidation policies to contain development within existing urban areas are creating poor development outcomes in Australian cities. In Brisbane, <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07293682.2020.1854800">our newly published research</a> shows this means the low-density housing character of the city is being retained at the expense of backyards.</p>
<p>Current land development regimes place urban planning outcomes in the hands of property owners and developers whose motives are tied to their financial interests rather than good planning. In doing so, the system works counter to its intended aims, in that it favours “<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-need-to-give-up-on-crowded-cities-we-can-make-density-so-much-better-131304">bad density</a>” over meaningful place-making characterised by well-designed medium-density townhouses or low-rise apartments.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/no-need-to-give-up-on-crowded-cities-we-can-make-density-so-much-better-131304">No need to give up on crowded cities – we can make density so much better</a>
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<p>The ad hoc nature of redevelopment means consolidation is done in a piecemeal and patchy way. There is little uniformity to streetscapes and a poor mix of housing options. </p>
<h2>What are the urban consolidation policies?</h2>
<p><a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07293682.2020.1854800">Our research</a>, published in Australian Planner, focuses on the impacts of urban consolidation policy in central Brisbane. The Queensland government has set a target for Brisbane City of <a href="http://www.healthyplaces.org.au/userfiles/file/Infill_Development%20June09.pdf">infill development</a> – building within existing developed areas – to account for <a href="https://dilgpprd.blob.core.windows.net/general/shapingseq.pdf">94% of all new dwellings by 2041</a>.</p>
<p>The state government defines an urban boundary to contain most new development. The state also sets dwelling targets by local government area, of which Brisbane is the <a href="https://lgiu.org/facts-and-figures-australia/#section-1">country’s most populous</a>. </p>
<p>At the local level, Brisbane City Council has a smaller-scale strategy. It aims for densification to be achieved through up-zoning (changing the zoning to permit higher density), increasing building heights and reducing minimum lot sizes. </p>
<p>At the same time, the council uses various mechanisms to protect the “cultural identity” of the city. These include the so-called “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-08/brisbane-future-housing-blueprint/9848494">townhouse ban</a>” and <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-guidelines-and-tools/brisbane-city-plan-2014/fact-sheets/residential-zones-and-zone-precincts">Character Residential (Infill)</a> zoning, which applies to many inner-city suburbs. </p>
<p>The Character Residential (Infill) zone allows for higher density, but houses built prior to 1946 must be retained. Any new dwellings must be of a similar scale.</p>
<p>We analysed the rate of subdivision for house construction over a ten-year period. Focusing on the suburbs immediately south of the city centre, we compared subdivision for more houses to land assembly (merging two or more lots) for apartment construction. </p>
<p>We wanted to see how the physical layout of the city had changed so Brisbane could densify. How is this being achieved in a city that has <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-08/brisbane-future-housing-blueprint/9848494">banned townhouses, rowhouses and apartments</a> of any size in more than 60% of the city’s residential area, but at the same time has had a <a href="https://theconversation.com/media-picture-of-urban-consolidation-focuses-more-on-a-good-scare-story-than-the-facts-58044">policy of consolidating growth</a> for decades? Specifically, we wanted to see how <a href="https://theconversation.com/unlocking-the-greyfields-to-inhibit-urban-sprawl-7748">existing residential land was densifying</a>, rather than former industrial or undeveloped land.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/unlocking-the-greyfields-to-inhibit-urban-sprawl-7748">Unlocking the greyfields to inhibit urban sprawl</a>
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<h2>What does the research show?</h2>
<p>Our results indicate that current consolidation policies run counter to their intended aims of protecting green space. The practical outcome is that the low-density housing character of the city is being retained at the expense of backyards.</p>
<p>We found 52% of redevelopments resulted from subdivision, compared with 30% from land assembly and 18% for all other reconfigurations. In the past decade, the seven inner-city suburbs we studied lost over 21,000 square metres of open space, usually backyards, to be replaced with more houses. </p>
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<img alt="First image has one house on one lot; second image has two houses on two lots." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=369&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/370668/original/file-20201122-19-1ogdv50.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">New house construction on subdivided lots on Taylor Street, Woolloongabba.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Google Earth</span></span>
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<p>This is explained by a combination of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335993971_Targeted_urban_consolidation_or_ad_hoc_redevelopment_The_influence_of_cadastral_structure_and_change_on_the_urban_form_of_Brisbane_Australia">developers’ lack of interest in residential infill, the difficulty of boundary change</a>, and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/vested-interests-behind-city-shapers-often-subvert-higher-density-policies-74244">political unpalatability of “density”</a>. Together, these factors work to create outcomes in conflict with consolidation policy. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/vested-interests-behind-city-shapers-often-subvert-higher-density-policies-74244">Vested interests behind ‘city shapers’ often subvert higher-density policies</a>
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<p>Existing lot shapes and sizes largely determine redevelopment, as developers favour land that is easily transformed. In <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S026483771931083X?via%3Dihub">previous research</a>, we found large-scale developers constructing high-rise apartments are often only really interested in <a href="https://theconversation.com/brownfield-sites-are-opportunities-in-the-heart-of-towns-and-cities-27955">brownfield land</a> – previously developed but disused sites. These are usually large sites owned by one landholder.</p>
<p>It’s <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/2018/AHURI_Final_Report_No171_Towards_a_new_development_model_for_housing_regeneration_in_greyfield_residential_precincts.pdf">inherently difficult</a> to co-ordinate redevelopment across multiple properties for high-quality, precinct-level infill. On the other hand, individual owners can reap financial benefit from lot-scale redevelopment, without the costs associated with larger developments. </p>
<p>As a result, backyard subdivision is pursued as a simple form of infill. Despite the city council’s policy to “<a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/planning-and-building/planning-guidelines-and-tools/brisbanes-future-blueprint/principle-4-protect-the-brisbane-backyard-and-our-unique-character">protect the Brisbane backyard</a>” and the state government’s goal of more <a href="https://dilgpprd.blob.core.windows.net/general/shapingseq.pdf">diverse and affordable homes</a>, more single-family homes are being crammed into less and less space.</p>
<h2>How can we improve outcomes?</h2>
<p>While low-density infill may balance consumer preference for detached houses with meeting infill targets, it in effect creates a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-cut-urban-sprawl-we-need-quality-infill-housing-displays-to-win-over-the-public-63930">compressed suburbia</a>”. The results fail to deliver on the core promises of consolidation policy, including greater housing diversity and affordability, and a <a href="https://theconversation.com/back-to-the-drawing-board-for-australian-urban-planning-22287">halt to urban sprawl</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-cut-urban-sprawl-we-need-quality-infill-housing-displays-to-win-over-the-public-63930">To cut urban sprawl, we need quality infill housing displays to win over the public</a>
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<p>It also leads to a dichotomy of new dwellings: high-rise apartments or detached houses. We found <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02723638.2019.1663058">very little development of medium-density dwellings</a>.</p>
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<img alt="Three single-storey houses in front of two 15-storey apartments." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/373469/original/file-20201208-21-yrxco5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=473&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Nothing in between: single-storey character houses and 15-storey high-rises in Brisbane’s West End.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rachel Gallagher</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>The market-based approach to urban consolidation leaves individuals seeking financial gain to determine the most important decision about our cities – their urban form. </p>
<p>If this continues, the lack of focus on high-quality infill will be a significant missed opportunity for our cities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/vanishing-australian-backyards-leave-us-vulnerable-to-the-stresses-of-city-life-81479">Vanishing Australian backyards leave us vulnerable to the stresses of city life</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150173/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Since the conclusion of this research Rachel Gallagher commenced a position as a policy advisor (planning) in the Queensland Government.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thomas Sigler receives funding from The Australian Research Council and the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.</span></em></p>Brisbane City wants to preserve backyards, but they account for much of the open space lost to development under policies that also aim to increase housing density in existing urban areas.Rachel Gallagher, PhD Candidate, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of QueenslandThomas Sigler, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1183752019-06-13T12:42:26Z2019-06-13T12:42:26ZHow to handle raccoons, snakes and other critters in your yard (hint: not with a thermos)<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278710/original/file-20190610-52753-f13ehs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Oh-so-cute raccoons can carry diseases and also fight with pets. If you don't want raccoons around, minimize food sources such as bird seed.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/raccoon-standing-pile-birdseed-on-deck-1384345103?src=jJI4FacgTbtR3feDNincXw-1-11">Nancy Salmon/Shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>I heard a local story of a man who, in his excitement to kill a rattlesnake, used the only thing he had available ─ his thermos bottle. The next scene in this drama has the man in the hospital receiving anti-venom to treat a snake bite. </p>
<p><a href="https://bioone.org/journals/Wildlife-Research/volume-42/issue-7/WR14229/Humanwildlife-interactions-in-urban-areas--a-review-of-conflicts/10.1071/WR14229.short">Encounters with wildlife</a> are becoming more common in towns and neighborhoods as <a href="https://theconversation.com/concrete-jungle-cities-adapt-to-growing-ranks-of-coyotes-cougars-and-other-urban-wildlife-43588">urbanization increases</a>, and people often do not know what to do in these situations. Many species of urban wildlife, such as butterflies, bees, beetles, lizards, bats and most birds, are benign or even beneficial, helping to control <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/bats/benefits-of-bats.htm">mosquitoes</a>, pollinate flowers and trees, recycle nutrients, and provide many other hidden ecological services. </p>
<p>But there can be also some associated health concerns, as some species bring the risk of parasites or disease. For example, some snakes like rattlesnakes or copperheads can be venomous. <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3809387?casa_token=K8VKBvyN_bgAAAAA:t4wZTz24KkPC-tJm5Zgis0U7W6AIaipGL4noHy9N809X8MgYqwR-azK-JnKHHYKd3hQUV7obRS78AnmH-dWYIPRaPAlsCp2og8LsDlXpjf3ZIUEs&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">Habitat loss to fragmentation</a>, <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0102261">urbanization</a> and <a href="https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcseprd1422028.pdf">expanding agricultural production</a> means <a href="https://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/adjunct/snr0704/snr07041f.pdf">suburban and urban spaces</a> will increasingly become options for wildlife searching for new homes. It is not just snakes, but also coyotes, foxes, raccoons, deer and even bears. </p>
<p>As a wildlife biologist and extension educator, my job is to help people more fully understand wildlife for the betterment of both people and animals. People generally enjoy wildlife. Renowned ecologist E. O. Wilson coined the term “<a href="https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=GAO8BwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP6&dq=Kellert,+S.+R.+and+E.+O.+Wilson,+1995.+The+biophilia+hypothesis.+Island+Press&ots=plt8IED_vY&sig=ZfcB7ol5zGettJk4mmXFjVAkD0w#v=onepage&q=Kellert%2C%20S.%20R.%20and%20E.%20O.%20Wilson%2C%201995.%20The%20biophilia%20hypothesis.%20Island%20Press&f=false">Biophilia” (meaning “life fondness”)</a> to describe this seemingly inherent affinity humans have for natural life. Rather than being too friendly or overly fearful, people should be aware and respectful of wildlife that may be in their neighborhood. </p>
<h2>What about those snakes?</h2>
<p>Many people ─ like the thermos-wielding man in the opening story ─ may not realize that snakes are beneficial and that attacking them with a dangerous tool, much less a thermos, is increasing the likelihood that it will be scared and bite in self-defense. About <a href="http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/venomous_snake_faqs.shtml">7,000 to 8,000 people</a> are bitten each year by a venomous snake, but death from one is very rare.</p>
<p>While they might not have the charisma of a panda or polar bear, snakes serve an important role in the environment. They <a href="https://www.britannica.com/animal/snake">eat insect pests</a> as well as rodents that can serve as vectors for parasites and infectious diseases like the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/plague/index.html">plague</a> that may be <a href="https://cc4d3dc4-a-d6d9d6da-s-sites.googlegroups.com/a/irri.org/rodent-management/resources/journal-articles/books-and-book-chapters/ratsmiceandpeoplerodentbiologyandmanagement/rats%2CmicePages1-114.pdf?attachauth=ANoY7cr4-Jq8l0Vm2l2fhfLGgVkQc5itiu8qharSVuX3Uk02DRjS3ZnBhKNiAu3WS0D2MkZJVFOlm_44Axfhm_TffBhU-NYbU3C-w7HcrfrHwNU5kITuxiwmDnUWcBocAbny4eRE1NaDPFCgf9sWs0CTTUGLWkjyI5op4eO_kWf5vCUeoDzCbhyoy6svgwgVBWK04p17-RVn_fmmX___LmMG7YkWZFz2R3ZyGf8S71SrGSuXPCrB38lnlrGJwP0KU6xErxDvLV3vGgrYX5bxWzN218Mc7WvPN9L3yJWQX13T8Hh6mcyH8kBDS726L7Dn79T3XPGb67EeXtFimLpbcWvkXpMKnqTneZTH5QkF9sTXz47mHZiGO70%3D&attredirects=0#page=12">transmitted to humans</a>. True, a venomous snake hanging around the backyard would be a situation for concern. But since only <a href="https://www.pitt.edu/%7Emcs2/herp/SoNA.html">20 of the estimated 127 species</a> in North America are venomous, the probability of encountering a venomous snake is pretty low. Nevertheless, if a venomous snake does end up near a home, wisdom calls for keeping children and pets away until professional help arrives to remove the animal.</p>
<h2>Not-so-adorable raccoons</h2>
<p>Most people aren’t worried about a cute raccoon eating out of the cat’s outdoor food dish. However, that same animal could be a <a href="https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/de-gruyter/management-of-raccoons-procyon-lotor-in-ontario-canada-do-human-E0ZXk0UpHY">carrier for rabies</a>, <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/1845179">parasites</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2634612/">influenza</a>, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00039896.1975.10666788">salmonella</a> or other pathogens that are issues for people and household pets. Close proximity to people and pets is discouraged for all wildlife species, even the cute ones. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/278717/original/file-20190610-52739-lw50mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An urban coyote eating fast food.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/urban-coyote-eating-fast-food-778065727?src=Re5n0yCwTqrW4_2gg4ezlA-1-19">Matt Knoth/Shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What about other critters?</h2>
<p>If wildlife such as coyotes, deer or foxes do appear in the yard, the best option for a peaceful encounter is to give them space. When met by people, most wild animals, if not habituated to humans, will either escape the imminent danger humans pose or hunker down to hide until the coast is clear for them to leave. It is when people move in closer ─ whether intentionally to help or harm or accidentally through unawareness ─ that a wild animal will feel the need to defend itself physically. For the untrained person, it is always wisest to go inside and wait it out. </p>
<p>Homeowners who don’t want any furry or scaly visitors should be mindful not to provide food or shelter. Secure outdoor trashcan lids, scoop up spilled seed at birdfeeders, and remove outdoor pet food bowls that <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/wildlife_damage/content/printable_version/fs_living_with_wildlife.pdf">may attract these creatures</a>. Stacks of firewood and piles of yard debris provide shelter to smaller critters, so if this is not your goal, consider alternatives.</p>
<p>In those instances where an unwanted guest does not move on, it is best for all involved to contact local wildlife experts for assistance rather than trying to handle the situation without help from those with proper training. Not only will this avert any unwanted injuries to people or animals, it will also prevent any unintentional violations of the state and federal laws that protect most wildlife in the U.S.</p>
<h2>What if you want some backyard wildlife?</h2>
<p>Some folks want to create space for nature by offering the food, shelter and water that animals are seeking. This option helps restore some of the functions and services that <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0160017605275160">natural ecosystems provide</a>. Bird feeders, pollinator plantings, (unchlorinated) water features, and native trees and shrubs can be artfully incorporated into landscaping to provide beauty and supply <a href="https://www.nwf.org/garden-for-wildlife/create">backyard habitats</a>. This is supplemental support and is different from caring for wild animals as if they were domesticated. Deliberately feeding animals like squirrels, deer or raccoons can create a hazardous situation for people and wildlife, leading to increased risk of negative encounters, disease and harm. This practice is not supported or encouraged by professional wildlife biologists. </p>
<p>[ <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=thanksforreading">Thanks for reading! We can send you The Conversation’s stories every day in an informative email. Sign up today.</a></em> ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/118375/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leslie Burger does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As humans encroach on wildlife habitats, it’s only natural that wildlife come into yards and playgrounds. Here are some tips to peacefully coexist, or to keep critters away if you don’t want that.Leslie Burger, Assistant Extension Professor of Wildlife, Fisheries & Aquaculture, Mississippi State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/814792017-07-31T19:54:42Z2017-07-31T19:54:42ZVanishing Australian backyards leave us vulnerable to the stresses of city life<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179740/original/file-20170726-30134-26yxld.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The traditional backyard provides a retreat from the pressures of city life.</span> </figcaption></figure><p>The traditional Australian suburban backyard is being lost to higher-density housing and massive project homes on small lots. </p>
<p>City planning is focused on making cities more compact, which <a href="https://theconversation.com/higher-density-living-can-make-us-healthier-but-not-on-its-own-34920">in some ways is desirable</a>, and the large backyard is seen as unsustainable and undesirable because of the space it consumes. But its loss could well be <a href="http://www.urbandesignmentalhealth.com/mind-the-gaps-framework.html">increasing the risks of physical and mental health problems</a> among city residents.</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="http://theconversation.com/planners-know-depressingly-little-about-a-citys-impacts-on-our-mental-health-81098">Planners know too little about the ‘depressogenic’ city</a></p>
<hr>
<p>Private and secure backyards are places where people can retreat from the relentless pressures and intensity of city life. This sort of open space may provide the essential nurturing environment city dwellers need to cope mentally and physically with the stresses of their lives. </p>
<p>And cities are stressful places in which to live and have always been so. In the second century AD, Roman poet <a href="http://blogs.getty.edu/iris/the-seven-plagues-of-the-ancient-roman-city-dweller/">Juvenal wrote</a> that the noise and lack of sleep in Rome was a major problem. Only wealthy Roman citizens could deal with the stress by building homes surrounded by peaceful gardens outside the city centre. </p>
<h2>How is our health affected?</h2>
<p>Today, evidence shows us that city dwellers, while benefiting from the advantages of city living, also suffer. </p>
<p>For instance, they are more likely to experience <a href="https://www.academia.edu/17156175/City_living_and_urban_upbringing_affect_neural_social_stress_processing_in_humans">anxiety and depression</a>, and their risk of psychosis increases dramatically. City dwellers <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110622135216.htm">have been shown</a> to have a 39% greater risk of mood disorders and a 21% added risk of anxiety disorders compared to rural dwellers.</p>
<p>Life stresses clearly play a major role in causing poor mental health among city dwellers, but the impact of the environment cannot be ignored. A <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2760412/">recent review</a> of 50 studies shows that an environment devoid of nature may have undesirable impacts on health or quality of life. Part of the problem lies in the visual absence of plants and landscape.</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/hug-a-tree-the-evidence-shows-it-really-will-make-you-feel-better-21924">Hug a tree … it really will make you feel better</a></p>
<hr>
<p>Research also finds that play-oriented green spaces <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/112/26/7937.full">benefit children’s mental development</a>.</p>
<p>It’s reasonable, then, to suggest that a lack of landscaped settings, such as backyards, could reduce emotional wellbeing, particularly among people less able to cope with mental stresses. </p>
<h2>A place of vanishing backyards</h2>
<p>Perth, where project homes bigger than 300 square metres are common, provides an interesting case study. </p>
<p>When devising Perth planning policies in the 1950s, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Stephenson">Gordon Stephenson</a> argued that the large backyards associated with Australian homes reduced the need for large public recreation areas. The backyard was seen as necessary for healthy city living. </p>
<p>By the 1970s, land subdivisions in Perth usually produced a residential lot around 600m<sup>2</sup> with a frontage of 20 metres. Because project homes were so much smaller then, with a minimum 6m rear setback, a Perth family usually had a backyard of 120m<sup>2</sup> at the very least. These areas provided space for large trees, cubby houses, climbing frames, swings, gardens and area to throw a ball. </p>
<p>Today, Perth planning regulations require private open space smaller than a double garage per family household. Houses like those of Alkimos and Ellenbrook, on Perth’s fringes, spread almost from boundary to boundary. </p>
<p>The houses comply with Perth planning requirements that allow areas under eaves, patios, verandahs and paved parking areas to be included in open space calculations. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179742/original/file-20170726-30108-1gbuumb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Backyards have all but vanished from housing in Ellenbrook (above) and Alkimos (below).</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=408&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179741/original/file-20170726-3011-17uv8mv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=513&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Starved of space, and hotter</h2>
<p>The result is little useful recreational outdoor space. Far from being child-friendly, these family homes without backyards are restricting our children from enjoying a normal active life in the safety of their homes.</p>
<p>Children have to use indoor spaces for recreation. This usually take the form of sedentary entertainment sources such as television and electronic games, adding to a great public health problem confronting our children. Obesity is associated with a lack of exercise as well as eating fast food. </p>
<p>Reducing open green space is also increasing urban temperatures, with major physical health consequences. All Australian capitals will increase significantly in average temperature by 2050. Perth will become Australia’s hottest capital with estimated heat-related deaths increasing <a href="http://www.climateinstitute.org.au/verve/_resources/heatwaves_fact_sheet_oct_3_07.pdf">from 294 a year to 1,419</a>, many more than the city’s annual road toll.</p>
<p>It has been known for many years that the best way to combat urban heat is by providing well-landscaped open spaces with large trees. This is the very type of space that many large backyards provided. </p>
<p>We can confirm this cooling effect using thermal imaging. This thermal image of suburban Perth, taken on a 38-degree day, shows that landscaped backyards in older suburbs (blue) are far cooler than more intense housing developments with little private open space (orange to red). </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=242&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=242&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=242&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/179764/original/file-20170726-20682-17jv4ol.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A thermal image shows older suburban areas with large landscaped backyards are much cooler (blue) than the hotter (orange-red) higher-density areas of Perth.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Dr Paul Barber ArborCarbon</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p><strong>Further reading:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/out-in-the-heat-why-poorer-suburbs-are-more-at-risk-in-warming-cities-66213">Why poorer suburbs are more at risk in warming cities</a></p>
<hr>
<h2>Leadership is needed</h2>
<p>What can and should be done? </p>
<p>The principle is simple: in the suburbs we need to build smaller two-storey project homes with large backyards open to the sky, just as they have learnt to do in the suburbs of European cities. The role of these backyards can change as family lifecycle needs change. </p>
<p>Achieving this, however, will be difficult. Australians show little self-control of their consumption even when warned of the consequences. </p>
<p>A change is needed, driven by courageous, sensible and forward-thinking politicians who can see beyond the compact city pushed by planning bureaucrats.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/81479/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Linley Lutton does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Australians are losing the backyards that once served as retreats from the stresses of city living. Our health is likely to suffer as cities become less green and much hotter.Linley Lutton, Adjunct Senior Teaching Fellow in Urban Planning and Design, The University of Western AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.