ZSL #037 How can we recover nature in our cities: rewilding, reconnecting habitats and restoring rivers

It’s no secret that cities are generally perceived as spaces of little conservation relevance, yet local urban wildlife underpins a range of ecosystem services. In a time where rapid changes in the climate are causing more extreme natural events, wildlife is disappearing and we are becoming more and more disconnected from nature through urbanisation, could the recovery of urban ecosystems be a potential solution for a more resilient planet? In this episode, our host Ellie Darbey will discover how we can recover nature in our cities, with ZSL’s experts in rewilding, reconnecting habitats and river restoration. Does the answer lie in empowering local communities? Or is it in the plight of the hedgehog? And why must we enact the mysterious Schedule Three?  

Guests

• Professor Nathalie Pettorelli, Institute of Zoology, ZSL
• Dr Chris Carbone, Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, ZSL
• Joe Pecorelli, Conservation Project Manager, Marine and Freshwater, Conservation & Policy, ZSL

Overview

• 03:31 – Ellie Darbey introduces the first guest, Professor Nathalie Pettorelli to discuss how to rewild in urban environments
• 16:39 – Ellie is joined by Dr Chris Carbone to talk about the London Hogwatch Project, and their community engagement
• 26:59 – Species Spotlight: The European hedgehog!
• 28:12 – Ellie welcomes the final guest Joe Pecorelli to discuss river restoration in London, and the power of the waterways
• 37:19 – The guests give their answer for the one thing they’d like to change in policy or legislation to help recover urban nature.

Resources

• If there’s a topic you’d like to hear on a future podcast, or if you’d like to share your thoughts on the one change you’d like to see in policy or legislation to help recover nature in cities, email the ZSL Wild Science Podcast at: wild.science@zsl.org 
• Check out our science and conservation work at: zsl.org/Science or www.zsl.org/conservation
• Living Planet Report: https://www.zsl.org/global-biodiversity-monitoring/indicators-and-assessments-unit/living-planet-index/living-planet
• Previous Episode mentioned #035 on Nature-based solutions: https://www.zsl.org/zsl-wild-science-podcast
• Rewilding your cities ZSL report: https://www.zsl.org/science/news/rewilding-our-cities-could-reduce-impacts-of-extreme-weather-says-new-report
• Rewild my street: https://www.rewildmystreet.org/
• London Hogwatch: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/species/mammals/london-hogwatch
• Pine Marten sighting: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/news/nationally-critically-endangered-pine-marten-spotted-in-london
• London’s Rivers: https://www.zsl.org/conservation/regions/uk-europe/londons-rivers
• State of the Thames Report: https://www.zsl.org/natureatheart