Urban domestic gardens (X): the extent &; structure of the resource in five major cities |
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Authors: | Alison Loram Jamie Tratalos Philip H Warren Kevin J Gaston |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK |
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Abstract: | Private domestic gardens are known to constitute a considerable proportion of “green space” in urban areas and are therefore
of potential significance for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem service provision in such areas. However, little is known
about the actual size and nature of this resource. This study provides the first detailed audit and comparison of the size
and structure of the domestic garden resource across different cities in the U.K. (Edinburgh, Belfast, Leicester, Oxford and
Cardiff). The urban area of each city covered by domestic gardens ranged from 21.8% to 26.8% and was positively correlated
with variation in human population density and housing density. In a random sample of at least 500 houses in each city, 99%
had associated gardens, the mean areas of which ranged from 155.4 m2 to 253.0 m2 and were closely associated with housing type (terraced, semi-detached or detached houses). Relatively small gardens (< 400 m2) contributed disproportionately to the total garden area of each city, being more numerous than larger gardens. There was
no clear relationship between garden area and distance to the edge of any of the cities. These and other results are discussed
in terms of the potential role of urban gardens as wildlife habitats and the implications for housing policy. |
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Keywords: | Domestic gardens Green space Housing Land use Urbanisation |
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