Urban Forests Create a Birdlife Boom in New Zealand Cities – Even Species Absent for Generations

Photo Credit: Tūī; Sid Mosdel, CC license

The article by the Good News Network reports on the massive urban forest of Zealandia that opened in Wellington, New Zealand in the year 1999. The forest is located only ten minutes away from the city and has been a breakthrough in increasing the bird population in the city. The forest has helped increase annual native bird “counts by 50%” (www.goodnewsnetwork.org). Most notably, birds that had not been seen for years spiked in population, such as the “kākā [which] increased by 250%, kererū by 186%, and tūī by 121%” (www.goodnewsnetwork.org), which proves that restoring “native forest in cities, native species will come back.” (www.goodnewsnetwork.org) 

 What is amazing about this project is that it proves that humans and native animals can co-exist. Due to global warming, urbanization, and man-made pollution, more and more animals have gone extinct or have fleed away from urban areas, but the Zealandia urban forest shows that humans can reverse some of those damages. By incorporating more “eco-sanctuaries” into urban planning, more animals can return to cities, and more people can appreciate and understand nature. The Zealandia urban forest is a phenomenal example of the positive effects that natural infrastructures can have on people and animal populations. I believe that other cities should try to do what Wellington is doing and incorporate more of nature in their urban planning projects.

Sources: 

Urban Forests Create a Birdlife Boom in New Zealand Cities – Even Species Absent for Generations

By Andy Corbley

June 2, 2022

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/zealandia-park-creates-bird-species-boom-in-wellington/