17.04.03
Conservation
is looking up as rooftop initiative spreads
UK
conservation hopes may be, quite literally, on the up, thanks to
the success of a London project in safeguarding one of Britain's
rarest birds with the help of an unexpected ally - redevelopers.
In
an exclusive article in May's Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Wildlife Magazine (published today,
22 April, price Β£2.90), Dusty Gedge reports that other UK
cities are now looking at creating rooftop wildlife refuges as part
of urban renewal.
The
move follows an experiment in Deptford, London, to retain a haven
for one of the country's last populations of black redstarts despite
the clearance of the derelict land where the birds were living for
new homes and offices.
High local land values, and the species' preference for waste ground,
ruled out the creation of a dedicated nature reserve within the
site. So the decision was taken to leave the landscape largely intact
- but several storeys higher - by moving rubble and vegetation to
the flat roofs of the new buildings.
The
success of Deptford's first 'green roof' in maintaining black redstart
numbers, and in attracting other animals, has been so good, says
Dusty Gedge, that a second has just been added and five more are
planned. In addition, Newcastle and Stockport are among the other
UK cities exploring the option as part of their redevelopment plans
for 'brownfield' land.
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ
Wildlife Magazine's editor, Rosamund Kidman Cox, commented: "Urban
waste ground may look ugly but it is often a vital wildlife habitat.
The scope for recreating it on the rooftops of new buildings in
our towns and cities is hugely exciting. It is early days yet but
this could be way to stop the sad decline we're witnessing in urban
areas, and would improve urban life, too. Wouldn't we all feel better
knowing that threatened and endangered species were gaining sanctuaries
on top of new office or apartments building?"
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