Introduction

Project Team: Professor Sarah Whatmore (Oxford), Dr Stephen Hinchliffe, Dr Monica Degen (Brunel) , Dr Matthew Kearnes (Durham)

Habitable Cities

Habitable Cities was a two-year project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, and hosted in the Geography Department at the Open University. The project was awarded an 'Outstanding' status in the ESRC's review process.

The Background

Wildlife, conservation issues and nature-based activities are not only important in the countryside, they are also very much part of our cities. These activities and issues can too often be overlooked or fail to register in debates about what makes a good city. This research seeks, first, to highlight the importance of urban sites to people and to wildlife. Second, it aims to raise important issues facing urban nature groups and sites. Through interviews with national and local bodies, and through detailed case studies of a variety of urban nature schemes, the research will draw together insights and experiences from a wide body of people involved in making cities habitable.

The Research

The research is interested in what people find fascinating and enjoyable about urban nature, what successes they may have had in the past, and what issues lie ahead. Along with those interviewed at a national and city policy level, six groups are participating, three in Birmingham and three in Bristol. The groups represent a variety of activities and organisations, including gardeners, conservationists and people interested in restoring sites. In order to develop a good sense of the issues and of the work that goes into making cities habitable, the researchers will spend time from mid 2002 to mid 2003 participating in activities, getting to know specific places and listening to a variety of experiences and views. Three kinds of civic spaces have been identified to illustrate different ecological modes of ordering (conservation, in urban nature reserves; restoration in the regeneration of derelict land; and cultivation in the working of community gardens and/or allotments).

Site ethnographies

Main findings

The researchers found that not only are cities home to some of the county's most cherished and well used habitats, they also host some of its rarest creatures and a variety of practices which bring people together with plants, animals and landscapes in ways that are both novel and may be under threat. The research calls for a re-appraisal of what we value in cities and a re-opening of debates as to who and what counts in urban environments.

The researchers found that not only are cities home to some of the county’s most cherished and well used habitats, they also host some of its rarest creatures and a variety of practices which bring people together with plants, animals and landscapes in ways that are both novel and may be under threat. The research calls for a re-appraisal of what we value in cities and a re-opening of debates as to who and what counts in urban environments.

The main policy report and research findings can be found here. Link to policy report

The report to the funding agency, ESRC can be found here. Link to ESRC report

Outputs

The research has been published in a number of academic and policy journals (LINK to publications pages). A policy forum was organised for December 2003 to discuss the issues raised with national and local experts, and to show the Project film to a wide policy audience. Representations have been made to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution’s Urban Environments Study and to other public bodies.

If you have any comments on any aspect of the research please contact us at:

Department of Geography
Faculty of Social Sciences
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
01908 652041