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The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities
One of Smithsonian Magazine 's Favorite Books of 2022
With 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 cities—the most artificial and human-dominated of all Earth’s ecosystems—grown 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 Francisco, Pittsburgh, Austin, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Digging into the natural history of cities and unpacking our conception of what it means to be wild, this book provides fascinating context for why animals are thriving more in cities than outside of them. Author Peter S. Alagona argues that the proliferation of animals in cities is largely the unintended result of human decisions that were made for reasons having little to do with the wild creatures themselves. Considering what it means to live in diverse, multispecies communities and exploring how human and nonhuman members of communities might thrive together, Alagona goes beyond the tension between those who embrace the surge in urban wildlife and those who think of animals as invasive or as public safety hazards. The Accidental Ecosystem calls on readers to reimagine interspecies coexistence in shared habitats, as well as policies that are based on just, humane, and sustainable approaches.
With 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 cities—the most artificial and human-dominated of all Earth’s ecosystems—grown 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 Francisco, Pittsburgh, Austin, Miami, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Baltimore. Digging into the natural history of cities and unpacking our conception of what it means to be wild, this book provides fascinating context for why animals are thriving more in cities than outside of them. Author Peter S. Alagona argues that the proliferation of animals in cities is largely the unintended result of human decisions that were made for reasons having little to do with the wild creatures themselves. Considering what it means to live in diverse, multispecies communities and exploring how human and nonhuman members of communities might thrive together, Alagona goes beyond the tension between those who embrace the surge in urban wildlife and those who think of animals as invasive or as public safety hazards. The Accidental Ecosystem calls on readers to reimagine interspecies coexistence in shared habitats, as well as policies that are based on just, humane, and sustainable approaches.
296 pages, Hardcover
Published April 19, 2022
About the author
Peter S. Alagona
15 books10 followersI’M AN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORIAN, historian of science, conservation scientist, and nature-culture geographer. My work explores what happens when humans share space and resources (their habitats) with other species: how we interact with non-human creatures, how we make sense of these interactions, why we fight so much about them, what we can learn from them, and how we might use these lessons to foster a more just, peaceful, humane, and sustainable society. Most of my research has focused on human interactions with wildlife in North America. A second area of interest involves developing creative interdisciplinary, collaborative, and mixed methods for studying ecological change over multiple time periods and scales.
DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF MY CAREER, in the 2000s, I focused on the history, science, law, and politics of endangered species conservation. After completing my first book in 2013, I shifted to focusing on human interactions with more common species, as well as the challenges of living with large carnivores and reintroducing lost species.
IN EARLY 2022, the University of California Press will publish my next book, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities. For more on this project, click on the link in the menu above. For the past 5 years, I have served as the founder and facilitator of the California Grizzly Research Network, which is conducting a series of research and outreach projects designed to promote a more informed scholarly and public conversation about the past and potential future of grizzly bears in California. Over the past many years, I have been involved in several other interdisciplinary environmental research groups, including the Mellon-Sawyer Seminar on Marine Environmental History, Environmental History Graduate Workshop, UC Natural Reserve System History & Archive Project, a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer School on City/Nature, the Convivial Conservation (CONVIVA) Network, a National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) working group on Historical Ecology, the Institute for the Study of Ecological and Evolutionary Climate Impacts (ISEECI), the Paleoecology in Novel Ecosystems group based at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, and more.
I TEACH SEVERAL CLASSES at UCSB, including the Introduction to Environmental Studies course (ES 1), a course on human-wildlife interactions called Wildlife in America (108W), and seminars on topics from Storytelling and the Environment to Lions, Tigers, and Bears: Coexisting with Large Carnivores in the 21st Century. I am currently serving as the director of the Interdepartmental Ph.D. Emphasis in Environment & Society.
IN ADDITION TO MY RESEARCH AND TEACHING, I am active in public service and other professional activities. I have served on the faculty editorial committee of the University of California Press, I am an associate editor of the MIT Press book series History for a Sustainable Future, I am the Secretary of the American Society for Environmental History, I serve on several committees for the University of California’s Natural Reserve System, and I am the Faculty Advisor for the wonderful Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves. I serve on several other boards and steering committees, I give frequent public lectures, and I do occasional interviews with newspapers, public radio stations, and other media outlets.
THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, I have been fortunate to work with wonderful mentors, colleagues, and students at institutions that value interdisciplinary and humanistic environmental scholarship. The first stage of this journey ended when I completed my undergraduate degree in history at Northwestern University in 1995. I later received a master's degree in geography from UC Santa Barbara, and master's and doctoral degrees in history from UCLA. Before joining the UCSB faculty in 2008, I was a Beagle Environmental Fellow in the Center for the Environment and Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a p
DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF MY CAREER, in the 2000s, I focused on the history, science, law, and politics of endangered species conservation. After completing my first book in 2013, I shifted to focusing on human interactions with more common species, as well as the challenges of living with large carnivores and reintroducing lost species.
IN EARLY 2022, the University of California Press will publish my next book, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities. For more on this project, click on the link in the menu above. For the past 5 years, I have served as the founder and facilitator of the California Grizzly Research Network, which is conducting a series of research and outreach projects designed to promote a more informed scholarly and public conversation about the past and potential future of grizzly bears in California. Over the past many years, I have been involved in several other interdisciplinary environmental research groups, including the Mellon-Sawyer Seminar on Marine Environmental History, Environmental History Graduate Workshop, UC Natural Reserve System History & Archive Project, a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer School on City/Nature, the Convivial Conservation (CONVIVA) Network, a National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) working group on Historical Ecology, the Institute for the Study of Ecological and Evolutionary Climate Impacts (ISEECI), the Paleoecology in Novel Ecosystems group based at the La Brea Tar Pits and Museum, and more.
I TEACH SEVERAL CLASSES at UCSB, including the Introduction to Environmental Studies course (ES 1), a course on human-wildlife interactions called Wildlife in America (108W), and seminars on topics from Storytelling and the Environment to Lions, Tigers, and Bears: Coexisting with Large Carnivores in the 21st Century. I am currently serving as the director of the Interdepartmental Ph.D. Emphasis in Environment & Society.
IN ADDITION TO MY RESEARCH AND TEACHING, I am active in public service and other professional activities. I have served on the faculty editorial committee of the University of California Press, I am an associate editor of the MIT Press book series History for a Sustainable Future, I am the Secretary of the American Society for Environmental History, I serve on several committees for the University of California’s Natural Reserve System, and I am the Faculty Advisor for the wonderful Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves. I serve on several other boards and steering committees, I give frequent public lectures, and I do occasional interviews with newspapers, public radio stations, and other media outlets.
THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, I have been fortunate to work with wonderful mentors, colleagues, and students at institutions that value interdisciplinary and humanistic environmental scholarship. The first stage of this journey ended when I completed my undergraduate degree in history at Northwestern University in 1995. I later received a master's degree in geography from UC Santa Barbara, and master's and doctoral degrees in history from UCLA. Before joining the UCSB faculty in 2008, I was a Beagle Environmental Fellow in the Center for the Environment and Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and a p
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 14, 2023
Our book clubbers generally enjoyed this book -- it offered a nice overview of our historical land use and urbanization, and how wildlife presence and behavior changed (or didn't) with those human activities. There were a variety of chapters that focused on specific species, and ultimately, the emphasis on co-existing and managing "people problems" was appreciated.
As a wildlife hospital, we didn't feel like the half-chapter on wildlife rehabilitation was fully explored; wildlife rehabilitation is much more than just patients released, as the data that we record on our patients helps us educate others, informs public policy, aids in researching diseases and other wildlife issues, and ultimately, helps conservation.
As a wildlife hospital, we didn't feel like the half-chapter on wildlife rehabilitation was fully explored; wildlife rehabilitation is much more than just patients released, as the data that we record on our patients helps us educate others, informs public policy, aids in researching diseases and other wildlife issues, and ultimately, helps conservation.
April 25, 2022
The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities by Peter Alagona is a popular science book that describes the arrival of several animal species to our urban environment, from coyotes to pumas.
The first few chapters set the framework, discussing how the habitat potential of cities have changed significantly between the 1700's and today, and also how the field of ecology has changed to recognize and incorporate the study of urban nature. The main set of chapters provide case studies of specific animals such as coyotes, pumas, and black bears. The final chapter offers suggestions on how we ought to think about the questions of supporting and living with urban wildlife.
This is an upbeat book. Alagona unabashedly features animals most people now find appealing or charming. The case studies are of success, or at least hint at long-term success. A section of notes and a bibliography provide opportunities for interested readers to dive deeper into the subject's complexities.
The first few chapters set the framework, discussing how the habitat potential of cities have changed significantly between the 1700's and today, and also how the field of ecology has changed to recognize and incorporate the study of urban nature. The main set of chapters provide case studies of specific animals such as coyotes, pumas, and black bears. The final chapter offers suggestions on how we ought to think about the questions of supporting and living with urban wildlife.
This is an upbeat book. Alagona unabashedly features animals most people now find appealing or charming. The case studies are of success, or at least hint at long-term success. A section of notes and a bibliography provide opportunities for interested readers to dive deeper into the subject's complexities.
September 5, 2023
Comprehensive book, grounded in science but told through engaging examples, about wildlife and urban ecology. Great for folks interested in land use change or who are just curious about the coyotes living in the city. A real twenty-first century wildlife book.
June 27, 2022
Phenomenal book! I’ve personally encountered wildlife in many different American cities, from deer in Philadelphia to coyotes in LA to raccoons all over, and heard many more instances of people running into wildlife, large and small. The book discusses different wildlife that thrive in cities, still other species harmed by people, how the role of wildlife is vastly different than what people portray and perceive it to be, the consequences of actions people take against them without understanding the species or their needs, and so much more. It beautifully demonstrates the need for cities and urban life to welcome and discover ways to coexist and support wildlife, and well as reduce the overall impact of the human species to address threats to biodiversity, such as climate change and habitat destruction. As the author says, “coexistence is about care, not control.”
February 26, 2023
Tough read for me, finally jumping back into the world of non-fiction, but I ultimately enjoyed it overall. Admittedly it was a slow start: passages that bored, onslaughts of statistics and historical event dates that overwhelmed, and extremely unserious figures sprinkled in each chapter. In my opinion, a caricature of a whale breaching in front of the statue of library or a coyote backed by the hollywood sign offer nothing to the reader and seem just plain silly. I still can’t get over these figures, nor can I get over the Caddyshack synopsis that filled a good deal of one chapter. However, many sections, like the one detailing the contradicting wonders of bat metabolisms, drew me in just as much as my usual fictional reads. In this way Alagona kept me interested long enough to internalize his philosophy and start reflecting on my own misconceptions about urban ecology.
January 3, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book, especially because my background is with wildlife management and conservation biology. The chapters that really spoke to me was Chapter 6: Out of the Shadows, Chapter 4: Damage Control, and Chapter 14: Embracing the Urban Wild, as well as the Coda: Lost and Found.
The book does a great job of detailing the past, present, and embracing the direction of the future. This really highlights the adaptability of some animals to use humans to their advantage while other animals suffer to the point of endangerment (and extinction). I also really liked the author explained how Covid-19 shaped not only us, but the wildlife as well. A great read for sure and a chance to view wildlife with an understanding lens.
The book does a great job of detailing the past, present, and embracing the direction of the future. This really highlights the adaptability of some animals to use humans to their advantage while other animals suffer to the point of endangerment (and extinction). I also really liked the author explained how Covid-19 shaped not only us, but the wildlife as well. A great read for sure and a chance to view wildlife with an understanding lens.
March 17, 2024
My humble inner ring, nothing special suburban yard has played host at one time or another to raccoons, opossums, white-tailed deer, chipmunks, groundhogs, skunks, squirrels, flying squirrels, bats, coyotes, hawks, turkeys, owls and almost 40 other species of birds. Mice and rats too, of course. Humans need to learn to share and co-exist. Animals that can adapt to living in close proximity to humans are the species that are thriving.
The author points out the biological diversity of cities vis a vis areas that we think of as wilderness and the many ways that human activity impact animal life, some obvious, some not.
The author points out the biological diversity of cities vis a vis areas that we think of as wilderness and the many ways that human activity impact animal life, some obvious, some not.
August 20, 2023
A great book on the ecology and evolution of wildlife and ecology in American Cities
April 16, 2024
The book frames land use change from a historical perspective, rather than biological. This is my only complaint.
April 1, 2023
A fascinating, well-researched, and informative read about how people and wildlife are learning to coexist in rural and urban communities.
December 31, 2022
You may not know this, but historically, cities were home to an abundance of wildlife. This is because most big cities were built on biodiversity hotspots. For example, Seattle and San Francisco are located next to estuaries; Washington DC, Chicago, and New Orleans were built on top of wetlands; New York City and Boston are situated on the mouths of rivers. All of these areas once were homes to rich and thriving multi-species communities of wild animals and many were major resting and refueling stopovers for migrating birds.
Of course, this was before humans moved in and destroyed these places, and either killed or drove out the native wildlife. But surprisingly, despite the dramatic decline in wildlife across the country, many cities in the United States are now home to more wild animals than they have been during the past 150 years. Why? And what does this mean for human city dwellers as well as for our wild neighbors? The recently published book, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities (University of California Press, 2022) provides some insights. This is the second book by Peter Alagona, an Associate Professor of History, Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and it shares the overlooked story of how modern American cities are unexpectedly providing homes to wildlife.
In his accessible book, Professor Alagona starts by discussing the history of how cities have changed since the 1700s up through today. In the early days of urban growth, which were in the 18th or 19th centuries for many American cities, native species were still common in many of these increasingly populated areas, Professor Alagona notes. But these wild creatures subsequently disappeared due to a variety of causes, ranging from hunting to pollution and habitat clearing. It didn’t take long before almost all of the animals that remained in a given urban area were conglomeration of domesticated and invasive exotic species: either a collection of non-native rodent species, mangy abandoned dogs, or semi-feral housecats — which were hard at work murdering any native songbirds that dared to remain behind.
But even as cities had been transformed into concrete jungles filled with despair and desperation, urban planners were rethinking and changing their ideas about cities and began to make them more welcoming for their human residents. Parks were built. Trees planted. Urban pea-patches and gardening spaces became more common, and waiting lists of a decade or longer for one of these highly coveted spots sprung up. Local wildlife also benefitted: beginning in the 1970s, wildlife began to reappear in cities throughout the world. Deer, alligators, bears, seals, rabbits, hawks and eagles suddenly could be regularly spotted as they went about their daily business. This wildlife-as-neighbors scenario is happening in most cities across the country, and indeed, around the world.
Modern cities are a new ecosystem that brings together wild creatures in novel arrangements and associations. “These spaces are so new that no species that lives in them is truly adapted to them in any deep, evolutionary sense,” Professor Alagona explained. “Cities bring together diverse creatures in new ways.”
In his book, Professor Alagona then discusses how the field of ecology is changing to incorporate this new, emerging discipline of urban ecology. He provides case studies focused on specific urban wildlife, such as pumas, coyotes, and — his favorite — black bears. He explores why some species thrive in urban areas and discovers that these reasons are much like traits and behaviors that we see in city dwelling humans.
Throughout the book, Professor Alagona argues that wilding our urban centers is a good thing, that our lives are more intertwined with those of animals than we think, and that decisions that benefit urban wildlife will, in most cases, be good for people, too. Further, he argues that living peaceably and sustainably alongside wildlife is our responsibility.
“Diverse philosophies, religions, and wisdom traditions — from utilitarianism to Buddhism — agree that, all else being equal, we should seek to reduce the amount of pain and increase the amount of happiness in the world among all sentient beings. We all have an obligation to treat individual animals humanely, even in cases when there is no reasonable choice other than to kill them”, Professor Alagona said. “I believe we also have an obligation to our communities. Most of us now live not only among groups of people, but also within diverse multispecies communities. It is our duty to do what we can to foster health, wellbeing, and even joy in the ecosystems we inhabit, because doing so increases the happiness of individuals and because communities are more than just the sums of their parts. We’re all interconnected.”
But how should we live alongside urban wildlife? Aren’t wild predators, like coyotes, for example, dangerous? Won’t they eat our babies?
“Wild animals that are acting normal, avoiding people, and minding their own business are usually best viewed at a distance and left alone”, Professor Alagona said. “It is also important to remember that animals like coyotes help people by preying on rodent pests, and that most animal-related human injuries are inflicted by insects, arachnids, and other smaller, less charismatic creatures.”
Overall, this highly readable and relevant book presents an important topic that is, in my opinion, mostly overlooked by the ecology community. It provides a perspective that, while cities can damage the environment, they also represent their own unique ecosystem that can and should be managed humanely, sustainably and fairly for the good of people and of wildlife. Highly recommended.
NOTE: Originally published at Forbes.com on 24 October 2022.
Of course, this was before humans moved in and destroyed these places, and either killed or drove out the native wildlife. But surprisingly, despite the dramatic decline in wildlife across the country, many cities in the United States are now home to more wild animals than they have been during the past 150 years. Why? And what does this mean for human city dwellers as well as for our wild neighbors? The recently published book, The Accidental Ecosystem: People and Wildlife in American Cities (University of California Press, 2022) provides some insights. This is the second book by Peter Alagona, an Associate Professor of History, Geography and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and it shares the overlooked story of how modern American cities are unexpectedly providing homes to wildlife.
In his accessible book, Professor Alagona starts by discussing the history of how cities have changed since the 1700s up through today. In the early days of urban growth, which were in the 18th or 19th centuries for many American cities, native species were still common in many of these increasingly populated areas, Professor Alagona notes. But these wild creatures subsequently disappeared due to a variety of causes, ranging from hunting to pollution and habitat clearing. It didn’t take long before almost all of the animals that remained in a given urban area were conglomeration of domesticated and invasive exotic species: either a collection of non-native rodent species, mangy abandoned dogs, or semi-feral housecats — which were hard at work murdering any native songbirds that dared to remain behind.
But even as cities had been transformed into concrete jungles filled with despair and desperation, urban planners were rethinking and changing their ideas about cities and began to make them more welcoming for their human residents. Parks were built. Trees planted. Urban pea-patches and gardening spaces became more common, and waiting lists of a decade or longer for one of these highly coveted spots sprung up. Local wildlife also benefitted: beginning in the 1970s, wildlife began to reappear in cities throughout the world. Deer, alligators, bears, seals, rabbits, hawks and eagles suddenly could be regularly spotted as they went about their daily business. This wildlife-as-neighbors scenario is happening in most cities across the country, and indeed, around the world.
Modern cities are a new ecosystem that brings together wild creatures in novel arrangements and associations. “These spaces are so new that no species that lives in them is truly adapted to them in any deep, evolutionary sense,” Professor Alagona explained. “Cities bring together diverse creatures in new ways.”
In his book, Professor Alagona then discusses how the field of ecology is changing to incorporate this new, emerging discipline of urban ecology. He provides case studies focused on specific urban wildlife, such as pumas, coyotes, and — his favorite — black bears. He explores why some species thrive in urban areas and discovers that these reasons are much like traits and behaviors that we see in city dwelling humans.
Throughout the book, Professor Alagona argues that wilding our urban centers is a good thing, that our lives are more intertwined with those of animals than we think, and that decisions that benefit urban wildlife will, in most cases, be good for people, too. Further, he argues that living peaceably and sustainably alongside wildlife is our responsibility.
“Diverse philosophies, religions, and wisdom traditions — from utilitarianism to Buddhism — agree that, all else being equal, we should seek to reduce the amount of pain and increase the amount of happiness in the world among all sentient beings. We all have an obligation to treat individual animals humanely, even in cases when there is no reasonable choice other than to kill them”, Professor Alagona said. “I believe we also have an obligation to our communities. Most of us now live not only among groups of people, but also within diverse multispecies communities. It is our duty to do what we can to foster health, wellbeing, and even joy in the ecosystems we inhabit, because doing so increases the happiness of individuals and because communities are more than just the sums of their parts. We’re all interconnected.”
But how should we live alongside urban wildlife? Aren’t wild predators, like coyotes, for example, dangerous? Won’t they eat our babies?
“Wild animals that are acting normal, avoiding people, and minding their own business are usually best viewed at a distance and left alone”, Professor Alagona said. “It is also important to remember that animals like coyotes help people by preying on rodent pests, and that most animal-related human injuries are inflicted by insects, arachnids, and other smaller, less charismatic creatures.”
Overall, this highly readable and relevant book presents an important topic that is, in my opinion, mostly overlooked by the ecology community. It provides a perspective that, while cities can damage the environment, they also represent their own unique ecosystem that can and should be managed humanely, sustainably and fairly for the good of people and of wildlife. Highly recommended.
NOTE: Originally published at Forbes.com on 24 October 2022.
November 14, 2023
This is a fun and informative look at wild animals in cities, from the commotion caused by an unusual sighting of a grey squirrel in Manhattan in 1856, to the deer, bear, coyote and other animals seen in urban areas today. I didn't know that when Disney released the movie "Bambi" in the 40's, white-tail deer were so hard to find, they had to be imported from Maine to California to serve as models. The author describes city greenspace and suburban sprawl as an ecosystem encouraging wildlife's return to urban areas, and urges us to find better ways to coexist with animals, whether we see them as pests, magical signs, or dangerous predators. The bald eagle nests of Pittsburgh make an appearance, as well as the Hollywood puma and the West Coast sea lions. Fascinating, although the occasional typos and even missing words interrupted the flow of the prose.
June 18, 2023
A nice historical overview of how land use has changed, and what that's meant for wildlife. The first few chapters of the book were a nice history refresher and helped lay some foundational understanding of city landscapes and how they came to be. There were species-specific chapters that highlighted how people and wildlife interact, and some other interesting tidbits that made me go elsewhere to read more (e.g. House Sparrows are declining -- which I didn't realize, and some other research out there suggests multiple causes).
My big issue -- and it's a big one for me -- was his half-chapter on his wishy-washy discussion of if wildlife rehabilitation is really the best use of time/money. It didn't take up a large chunk of the book by any means, but he set up this thought exercise poorly; while he referenced that this wasn't a black-and-white issue, he set up the argument in a pretty black-and-white way and kept coming back to release numbers and non-profit budgets. It would've been far better if he had done a little more research rather than just having a long e-interview with Peter Singer, who seemed to ultimately think that to judge rehabilitation, you should look at the numbers. I disagree with them both and think that they really missed out on the point.
My big issue -- and it's a big one for me -- was his half-chapter on his wishy-washy discussion of if wildlife rehabilitation is really the best use of time/money. It didn't take up a large chunk of the book by any means, but he set up this thought exercise poorly; while he referenced that this wasn't a black-and-white issue, he set up the argument in a pretty black-and-white way and kept coming back to release numbers and non-profit budgets. It would've been far better if he had done a little more research rather than just having a long e-interview with Peter Singer, who seemed to ultimately think that to judge rehabilitation, you should look at the numbers. I disagree with them both and think that they really missed out on the point.
May 11, 2024
This started with the flavor of an apology for human impact on the environment, but ended some place much more measured, cautionary even. In short, other forms of life in the US were in pretty bad shape by the 1950s, and then it got better, but then in places it got worse again, revealing that the work is not done. And that work arguably privileges certain animals over many others. I don’t consider myself the most subtle reader, so if there was an aspirational edict that Alagona was striving to impart, it was not obvious. In fact, in its desire to remain a high-level, incomplete survey, focusing on a limited set of mammalian examples, it doesn’t really take any passionate stances that offers the reader an ethical clarity that might transform into their action. Sure, one’s own confirmation bias will read between the lines and choose whether to be a champion for all god’s creatures or…well, or just…”meh”. To be fair, the author acknowledges that there is little data collection and study on wildlife in urban contexts. So, perhaps the conclusion should be high praise for it being short and non-technical and if you’re looking for the shallow end to get acclimated to some waters on this topic, this is a decent place to start.
December 30, 2022
Lots of great information here, but it's more of a survey than a clearly argued point. I learned a lot but didn't retain any big takeaways beyond being more aware of the various issues and challenges presented when wildlife or cities meet. Some of the chapters had anecdotal introductions that were tenuous or only lightly connected to the subject matter. I'd be interested in reading a version of this book that has a few clear central arguments and clearly articulated points for what should happen next.
Read
August 17, 2022My interview with Peter S. Alagona on "The Accidental Ecosystem" for The Armen Show:
Peter S. Alagona: The Accidental Ecosystem
Peter S. Alagona: The Accidental Ecosystem
September 12, 2022
LOVED this exploration of the urban/suburban ecosystem (which most of us live within). I am fascinated by the creatures that make their home among us and this was such a fun and interesting way to learn about them.
October 19, 2022
A gift from Brenda. Each chapter deals with an animal who makes his life in a city and how that works out with humans and other animals. Interesting stuff as I leaned how and why some animals stay in the city and why others leave.
February 13, 2023
I am so glad my local library had this book!
This book is a little gem - it's easy to understand the content but at the same time, it makes you think about topics that are rarely spoken about - like, for example, nature in cities and how over time this concept has changed.
This book is a little gem - it's easy to understand the content but at the same time, it makes you think about topics that are rarely spoken about - like, for example, nature in cities and how over time this concept has changed.
April 9, 2024
Working as an urban planner and having an undergraduate degree in environmental studies, this was a really enjoyable read for me. I particularly enjoyed the author's focus on the awareness and responsibility that humans have for nurturing and caring for the animals within our urban ecosystems.
May 12, 2024
Pop Science on wildlife in cities - was pretty interesting! There was no real "thesis" to the book, mostly just walking through the history of this topic. Nothing was hugely surprising but enjoyed the read. Had pictures <3
September 16, 2024
Great read! The impact of human intervention to remove or add organisms are not a simple as one thinks. Collateral damage and/or new challenges then have to be dealt with.
Several examples within the book.
Several examples within the book.
Read
July 20, 2022Great Info topic about wildlife in cities.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2022
what we need to know now about creatures living close to us in urban areas. Wonderful book and Peter Alagona was my guest recently for an interview.
October 16, 2022
This was a fascinating, eye-opening read to me. It gave me a perspective that, while cities can cause damages to our environment, they also are their own ecosystem that can be stewarded wisely.
December 26, 2022
I like sustainable cities and I like biodiversity, cities are nature too etc. RIP p-22.
January 17, 2023
Endlessly engaging and informative -- as an academic writer myself, I was humbled and inspired by Alagona's ability to communicate with a wider public with depth and grace.
February 28, 2023
This is a well researched and well written book that would serve as a good resource for those interested in urban ecology. I will keep it next to Douglas Tallamy's Bringing Nature Home.
September 24, 2023
4.5 stars*
April 24, 2024
Since I moved to the US in 2006 I had been so aware of how many wild animals lived among us, from sea lions and whales to falcons, wild turkey, coyotes, snakes or mountain lions. I thought this was an American West thing but this book was eye opening in understanding that for most of the 18th and 19th century humans had eliminated most wild life from urban areas and why starting in the 20th century cities have started to fill up again with animals. Often, not out of conservation efforts but through many other decisions on water access, middle class families wanting suburban areas to be greener etc. I found the information sketched in this book really interesting, linking history, urban planning, policy, cultural change, etc. But it felt that with the goal of making this book approachable to a larger audience, there was too much anecdotal vignettes and I missed having more depth in the content.
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