DESIGN WITH NATURE: “People often think of urban landscapes as concrete dystopias, but the future may reside in cities that can sustain both people and nature,” wrote John Lieber in an Op-Ed published by The Revelator (Dec 2018)

The Bosco Verticale residential tower in Milan, Italy. Photo: Alessandro Bonvini (CC BY 2.0)

Urban Ecology: A Bright Future for Sustainable Cities

“As much as we love and need nature, the human population is growing and moving to cities,” wrote John Lieber in an Op-Ed published by The Revelator, an online news and ideas initiative of the Center for Biological Diversity. It provides editorially independent reporting, analysis and stories at the intersection of politics, conservation, art, culture, endangered species, climate change, economics and the future of wild species, wild places and the planet.

“This rapid rate of urbanization, combined with the overall growth of the world’s population, will challenge our social systems, the way we manage natural resources, and the way we organize and build our cities. The question is, will the impact be negative or positive? The general perception is negative, but as someone who specializes in urban ecology I’m optimistic. Here’s why.”

Future Cities

“So will we allow cities to turn into concrete dystopias? Or will we create the green paradises that we deserve? By embracing urban ecology in the form of green infrastructure and biophilic design, we allow ourselves to work with nature, not against it,” concludes John Lieber.

To Learn More:

To read the complete article by John Lieber, download a PDF copy of  Urban Ecology: A Bright Future for Sustainable Cities

John Lieber is currently working on the City of Toronto’s Parkland Strategy, a 20-year plan to guide and enhance Toronto’s Parkland.