Birds, garden plants and suburban bushlots: where good intentions meet unexpected outcomes

Australian cities house most of the country’s human population and it is within the urban environment that most people encounter wildlife, and experience most of their lifetime opportunities for practical learning about them. Although it is less than two centuries since the full establishment of any towns or cities, Australia’s urbanised area has expanded rapidly, and development is now occurring along much of the subtropical and temperate coast and adjacent lowlands. It is, therefore, imperative to gain a better understanding of the effects of urbanisation on wildlife in Australian environments. This understanding could enable the creation of locally appropriate methods of urban design that can sustain the heritage variety of native species in areas settled by people. To begin, we need to consider the nature of the urban land cover, how it differs from that pre-settlement, and what this means for wildlife.