Community-led conservation in cities
Defining Urban Biodiversity is a multi-year research partnership between the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and Scenic Hudson. The goal is to engage residents in three Mid-Hudson river cities — Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie — to document and discover the amazing diversity of animal and plant life all around them.
Biodiversity, the variety of life on earth, is not always documented or appreciated in cities as much as it is in more rural landscapes. Yet, our urban areas are actually teeming with life! Raccoons, opossums, foxes, skunks, and deer are just some of the animals we’ve recently observed.
We are working to improve urban parks and other green spaces (including waterways), as well as to provide equitable access to nature. Gathering data on what is living in these areas and defining biodiversity in an urban context can help us plan, manage, and implement programs for open spaces that enhance experiences for both human and nonhuman life. Improved understanding of urban biodiversity can open up opportunities for human connections with nature and environmental education, which are vital to community health and climate resilience.
Over the next few years, Dr. Shannon LaDeau, an ecologist at the Cary Institute, will work with communities to collect local data to better define and understand urban biodiversity in the region.
Please do not disturb the wildlife cameras you may see in green spaces throughout Kingston, Newburgh, and Poughkeepsie.
If you’d like to learn more about community science or how to get involved, please contact: kpatel@scenichudson.org
The photos below capture some of the critters we’re documenting with the wildlife cameras!
