Almost half the world's people live in cities and this proportion is steadily growing. Protected areas provide important benefits to cities; conversely, conservationists depend on support from voters, leaders, and opinion-shapers largely concentrated in urban centres and their success will depend increasingly on taking these urban connections seriously.
This book examines how those responsible for protected areas can better serve people in large cities and build stronger urban constituencies for nature conservation. Authors from 13 countries discuss the multifaceted interdependence of cities and protected areas; innovative roles for conservation organizations in educating urban people about nature, greening cities, and bridging divisions in urban society; and the partnerships essential to working in urban settings. Case studies focus on cities as diverse as Beijing, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Mumbai and Sydney.