http://www.thenatureofcities.com/

The Nature of Cities is a virtual magazine and discussion site on cities as ecosystems. It is a global collective of contributors, an essay and discussion site devoted to cities as social-ecological spaces, ecosystems of people, buildings, open spaces, and nature. City design with nature at the center is key to urban resilience, sustainability, and livability.

Founded and edited by Dr. David Maddox (Sound Science LLC, New York City, david.maddox@thenatureofcities.com. (With thanks to Mike Houck of Portland, OR.)

Cities are fundamentally ecological spaces. They are ecosystems packed with trees and vegetation that comprise an urban forest. They house birds, insects, small mammals, diverse ecological habitats, and more. They are connected to suburban and rural areas along ecological gradients. Human well being, social justice and effective urban design is intimately connected to the health of urban ecosystems. Cities are habitat for people, and urban design with nature at the center is essential to resilience, sustainability, and livability.

We believe that the nature of cities—by which we mean cities as ecosystems of people, green and blue nature, biodiversity, and built infrastructure…habitat for people—needs more voices, more perspectives and expanded conversation about its critical importance for people and how it can be promoted, conserved, managed, and in some cases designed for the good of all.