Abstract: Urban and built-up areas cover more and more land, while the open land to a large extent is cultivated intensively for agricultural production. Under such circumstances it may not be possible to uphold and enhance biodiversity only in designated nature spots and protected areas. Such areas may not provide sufficient and sufficiently large habitats to enhance or just maintain a diverse nature. It may be relevant also to preserve biodiversity in cultivated and built-up areas. However, any integration of a more diverse nature into the urban and suburban fabric will have to take place in an environment that is heavily influenced by human activity. Increased urban biodiversity will have to be a product of specific human interventions, designs and orders of maintenance. So the question is: What are the social dynamics of co-existence between nature and humans in urban gardens? And what is the potential for specific modes of co-existence which can support enhanced biodiversity? A cross-disciplinary project investigated this issue, and some of the results will be presented in this seminar.

Language: in English