Cities, Nature, Justice: a zoologist's perspective
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Abstract
Cities and nature may seem mutually exclusive, but the animal inhabitants, both native and introduced, from pets to pests, are a major component of city life. Using Sydney as an example, this paper takes a critical look at cities and nature, more narrowly zoology, with a long-term view, i.e. one with intergenerational equity in mind. In the rapid conversion of bush to farmland, then suburbs and industrial areas, flora and fauna have not been given a strong voice. We need a new ethic for this new urban ecosystem, one which encompasses dealing with exotic species, pests and vermin on the one hand, and relic native animal populations on the other. Plans for sustainability in environment, economics and society need to recognise that these are interrelated subjects, not separate entities. I argue that knowing the natural history of Sydney is integral to understanding the city, its history, and its sustainability.
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References
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Attenbrow, V. (2010) (Second edition) Sydney's Aboriginal past: investigating the archaeological and historical records. University of NSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Archer, M. and B.Beale (2004) Going Native, Australia: Hodder Headline.
Birch, A. and D.S.Macmillan (1962) "The Sydney scene", reprinted (1978) in The Australian city Unit A, Marvellous Melbourne. A study of nineteenth century urban growth, Victoria: Deakin University, School of Humanities, Open Campus Program: 271-272.
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Daniels, C.B. and C.J.Tait (eds) (2006) Adelaide, nature of a city: the ecology of a dynamic city from 1836 to 2036, Adelaide: Biocity, centre for urban habitats.
Davis, K. (1973) preface in Cities: their origin, growth and human impact. Scientific American readings, San Francisco, California, USA: W.H.Freeman and Co.
Faulkner, H.W. (1982) "Campbelltown. A case study of planned urban expansion", in Why cities change. Urban development and economic change in Sydney, North Sydney: George Allen and Unwin: 265-282.
Flannery, T. (2003) "Beautiful Lies. Population and environment in Australia", Quarterly Essay 9: 1-73.
Forman, R. T. T. (2008) Urban regions: ecology and planning beyond the city. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511754982
Gilligan, B. (2009). Reflections on national parks and fauna conservation in NSW. Australian Zoologist 35: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2009.001
Goodall, H. (2010) "Nets, Backyards And The Bush: the Clashing Cultures Of Nature On The Georges River", in D.Lunney, P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2010.005
Griffiths, T.R. (1991) "History and natural history. Conservation movements in conflict", in D.J.Mulvaney (ed.) The Humanities and the Australian environment, Canberra: Australian Academy of the Humanities: 87-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/10314619108595866
Grove, A. T. and O.Rackham (2001) The nature of Mediterranean Europe: an ecological history, New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
Harrison, P. (1978) "City planning", in P.Scott (ed.) Australian cities and public policy, Melbourne: Georgian House: 141-173.
Head, L. and P.Muir (2007) Backyards, Ultimo, NSW: Wollongong University Press, produced by Halstead Press.
Karskens, G. (2006) "The Environmental City - Rapporteur Summary", in P.Troy (ed.) The state of Australian Cities, State of Australian Cities Conference 2005, http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/81102/soac05-refereedproceedings.pdf, last accessed 5 March 2010: 8-13.
Karskens, G. (2009) The colony: a history of early Sydney, Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin.
Lunney, D. (2001) "Causes of the extinction of native mammals of the Western Division of New South Wales: an ecological interpretation of the nineteenth century historical record", The Rangeland Journal 23: 44-70. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ01014
Lunney, D. (2010) 'A history of the debate (1948-2009) on the commercial harvesting of kangaroos, with particular reference to New South Wales and the role of Gordon Grigg', Australian Zoologist 34: 383-430. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2010.027
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Lunney, D. and S. Burgin (eds) (2004) Urban Wildlife: more than meets the eye, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780958608572
Lunney, D., P. Eby, P. Hutchings and S. Burgin (eds) (2007) Pest or Guest. The zoology of overabundance. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman, NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780980327212
Lunney, D., Baker, J., Matthews, A., Waples, K., Dickman, C. and Cogger, H. (2007a) Overabundant native vertebrates in New South Wales: characterising populations, gauging perceptions and developing an ethical management framework. in Pest or Guest. The zoology of overabundance, edited by D. Lunney, P. Eby, P. Hutchings and S. Burgin. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman, NSW:158–173. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2007.020
Lunney, D., Munn, A. and Meikle, W. (eds) (2008) Too close for Comfort: contentious issues in human-wildlife encounters. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman, NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780980327229
Lunney, D., P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) (2010a) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. In press. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780980327236
Lunney, D., R.Close, M.S.Crowther, J.Bryant, I.Shannon, K.Madden and S.Ward (2010b) "The koalas of Campbelltown, south-western Sydney: does their natural history foretell of an unnatural future?" in D.Lunney, P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. In press. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2010.029
McDonnell, M.J., A.K.Hahs and J.H.Breuste (eds) (2009) Ecology of cities and towns: a comparative approach, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511609763
Mumford, L. (1961) The city in history. Its origins, its transformations and its prospects, Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books.
Rackham, O. (2006) Woodlands. Harper Collins, New Naturalist Series, UK.
Recher, H.F. (1986) "Maintaining our natural legacy: the ecology of planning", in H.Recher, D.Lunney and I.Dunn (eds) A natural legacy: ecology in Australia, Rushcutters Bay, NSW: Pergamon Press.
Recher, H.F. 2010. A not so natural history: the vertebrate fauna of Sydney. D.Lunney, P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. In press.
Recher, H.F., D. Lunney and I. Dunn (eds) (1986) A natural legacy: ecology in Australia, Rushcutters Bay, NSW: Pergamon Press.
Robin, L. (2007) How a continent created a nation, Sydney: UNSW Press.
Singer, P. (1975) Animal Liberation. First published by Jonathan Cape, UK, paperback edition published 1983 by Thorsons, Northhamptonshire, UK.
Sjoberg, G. (1965) "The origin and evolution of cities". This paper originally appeared in the September 1965 edition of Scientific American. Reproduced in Cities: their origin, growth and human impact. Scientific American readings, San Francisco, California, USA: W.H.Freeman and Co. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0965-54
Stilwell, F. (2000) "Ways of seeing: competing perspectives on urban problems and policies", in P.Troy (ed.) Equity, environment, efficiency: ethics and economics in urban Australia, South Carlton, Victoria: Melbourne University Press: 13-37.
Troy, P. (2000) "Introduction: ends and means", in P.Troy (ed.) Equity, environment, efficiency: ethics and economics in urban Australia, South Carlton, Victoria: Melbourne University Press: 1-12.
Winston, D. (1957) Sydney's great experiment. The progress of the Cumberland County Plan, Sydney: Angus & Robertson.
Attenbrow, V. (2010) (Second edition) Sydney's Aboriginal past: investigating the archaeological and historical records. University of NSW, Sydney 2052, Australia.
Archer, M. and B.Beale (2004) Going Native, Australia: Hodder Headline.
Birch, A. and D.S.Macmillan (1962) "The Sydney scene", reprinted (1978) in The Australian city Unit A, Marvellous Melbourne. A study of nineteenth century urban growth, Victoria: Deakin University, School of Humanities, Open Campus Program: 271-272.
Brooks, D. (2009) Editorial. Southerly 69: 5–17. (This edition of the journal had the title Animal.)
Bryan, D., P.McGuirk, P.O'Neill and F.Stilwell (2006) "Understanding Sydney as a Global City", in P.Troy (ed.) The State of Australian Cities, State of Australian Cities Conference 2005, http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/81239/city-economy-12-bryan.pdf, last accessed 5 March 2010: 1-11.
Daniels, C.B. and C.J.Tait (eds) (2006) Adelaide, nature of a city: the ecology of a dynamic city from 1836 to 2036, Adelaide: Biocity, centre for urban habitats.
Davis, K. (1973) preface in Cities: their origin, growth and human impact. Scientific American readings, San Francisco, California, USA: W.H.Freeman and Co.
Faulkner, H.W. (1982) "Campbelltown. A case study of planned urban expansion", in Why cities change. Urban development and economic change in Sydney, North Sydney: George Allen and Unwin: 265-282.
Flannery, T. (2003) "Beautiful Lies. Population and environment in Australia", Quarterly Essay 9: 1-73.
Forman, R. T. T. (2008) Urban regions: ecology and planning beyond the city. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511754982
Gilligan, B. (2009). Reflections on national parks and fauna conservation in NSW. Australian Zoologist 35: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2009.001
Goodall, H. (2010) "Nets, Backyards And The Bush: the Clashing Cultures Of Nature On The Georges River", in D.Lunney, P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2010.005
Griffiths, T.R. (1991) "History and natural history. Conservation movements in conflict", in D.J.Mulvaney (ed.) The Humanities and the Australian environment, Canberra: Australian Academy of the Humanities: 87-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/10314619108595866
Grove, A. T. and O.Rackham (2001) The nature of Mediterranean Europe: an ecological history, New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
Harrison, P. (1978) "City planning", in P.Scott (ed.) Australian cities and public policy, Melbourne: Georgian House: 141-173.
Head, L. and P.Muir (2007) Backyards, Ultimo, NSW: Wollongong University Press, produced by Halstead Press.
Karskens, G. (2006) "The Environmental City - Rapporteur Summary", in P.Troy (ed.) The state of Australian Cities, State of Australian Cities Conference 2005, http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/81102/soac05-refereedproceedings.pdf, last accessed 5 March 2010: 8-13.
Karskens, G. (2009) The colony: a history of early Sydney, Crows Nest, NSW: Allen and Unwin.
Lunney, D. (2001) "Causes of the extinction of native mammals of the Western Division of New South Wales: an ecological interpretation of the nineteenth century historical record", The Rangeland Journal 23: 44-70. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ01014
Lunney, D. (2010) 'A history of the debate (1948-2009) on the commercial harvesting of kangaroos, with particular reference to New South Wales and the role of Gordon Grigg', Australian Zoologist 34: 383-430. https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2010.027
Lunney, D. ms a. Examining the changing relationships between wildlife management and society: I. the expanding role of government in conserving the native fauna of NSW. Ms in review. Lunney, D. ms b. Examining the changing relationships between wildlife management and society: II. a zoological critique of Peter Singer's Animal Liberation and its relevance to conserving the native fauna of NSW. Ms in review.
Lunney, D. ms c. Ethics and Australian mammalogy: reflections on 15 years (1991-2006) on an animal ethics committee. Ms in review.
Lunney, D. and S. Burgin (eds) (2004) Urban Wildlife: more than meets the eye, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780958608572
Lunney, D., P. Eby, P. Hutchings and S. Burgin (eds) (2007) Pest or Guest. The zoology of overabundance. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman, NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780980327212
Lunney, D., Baker, J., Matthews, A., Waples, K., Dickman, C. and Cogger, H. (2007a) Overabundant native vertebrates in New South Wales: characterising populations, gauging perceptions and developing an ethical management framework. in Pest or Guest. The zoology of overabundance, edited by D. Lunney, P. Eby, P. Hutchings and S. Burgin. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, Mosman, NSW:158–173. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2007.020
Lunney, D., Munn, A. and Meikle, W. (eds) (2008) Too close for Comfort: contentious issues in human-wildlife encounters. Royal Zoological Society of NSW, Mosman, NSW. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780980327229
Lunney, D., P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) (2010a) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. In press. https://doi.org/10.7882/9780980327236
Lunney, D., R.Close, M.S.Crowther, J.Bryant, I.Shannon, K.Madden and S.Ward (2010b) "The koalas of Campbelltown, south-western Sydney: does their natural history foretell of an unnatural future?" in D.Lunney, P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. In press. https://doi.org/10.7882/FS.2010.029
McDonnell, M.J., A.K.Hahs and J.H.Breuste (eds) (2009) Ecology of cities and towns: a comparative approach, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511609763
Mumford, L. (1961) The city in history. Its origins, its transformations and its prospects, Ringwood, Victoria: Penguin Books.
Rackham, O. (2006) Woodlands. Harper Collins, New Naturalist Series, UK.
Recher, H.F. (1986) "Maintaining our natural legacy: the ecology of planning", in H.Recher, D.Lunney and I.Dunn (eds) A natural legacy: ecology in Australia, Rushcutters Bay, NSW: Pergamon Press.
Recher, H.F. 2010. A not so natural history: the vertebrate fauna of Sydney. D.Lunney, P.Hutchings and D.Hochuli (eds) The natural history of Sydney, Mosman, NSW: Royal Zoological Society of NSW. In press.
Recher, H.F., D. Lunney and I. Dunn (eds) (1986) A natural legacy: ecology in Australia, Rushcutters Bay, NSW: Pergamon Press.
Robin, L. (2007) How a continent created a nation, Sydney: UNSW Press.
Singer, P. (1975) Animal Liberation. First published by Jonathan Cape, UK, paperback edition published 1983 by Thorsons, Northhamptonshire, UK.
Sjoberg, G. (1965) "The origin and evolution of cities". This paper originally appeared in the September 1965 edition of Scientific American. Reproduced in Cities: their origin, growth and human impact. Scientific American readings, San Francisco, California, USA: W.H.Freeman and Co. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0965-54
Stilwell, F. (2000) "Ways of seeing: competing perspectives on urban problems and policies", in P.Troy (ed.) Equity, environment, efficiency: ethics and economics in urban Australia, South Carlton, Victoria: Melbourne University Press: 13-37.
Troy, P. (2000) "Introduction: ends and means", in P.Troy (ed.) Equity, environment, efficiency: ethics and economics in urban Australia, South Carlton, Victoria: Melbourne University Press: 1-12.
Winston, D. (1957) Sydney's great experiment. The progress of the Cumberland County Plan, Sydney: Angus & Robertson.