Connecting Past and Present
May 25, 2022 By: XUECHUN YAN
First Article: Long-term Statistics Canada research shows cities across country losing green space: https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/long-term-statistics-canada-research-shows-cities-across-country-losing-green-space-1.5763081
The source by Bob Waber of CTV News on February 1, 2022, expresses the concern that urbanization is reducing parks countrywide. The writer warns that the Canadian government is favoring cities over environmental conservation.[1] Such aspects relate to the course materials’ insights that humans contribute to environmental destruction and should adjust accordingly to rectify the issue[2]. As a result, it is essential to control urbanization to conserve nature.
Second Article: Study Links Urbanization to Poor Ecological Knowledge, Less Environmental Action: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2022/05/study-links-urbanization-poor-ecological-knowledge-less-environmental.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology material on May 04, 2022, observes that urbanization frustrates conservation efforts. In particular, the news article explains that the continued development of buildings rather than the establishment of spaces to protect nature has suppressed people’s knowledge to ensure biodiversity.[3] The insights align with the course material connecting urbanization with environmental degradation.[4] Therefore, cities’ planning should strike a balance between constructing buildings and conserving nature.
- Bob Waber, “Long-term Statistics Canada Research Shows Cities across Country Losing Green Space,” CTV News, February 1, 2022, https://www.ctvnews.ca/climate-and-environment/long-term-statistics-canada-research-shows-cities-across-country-losing-green-space-1.5763081.
- Samuel E. Munoz, David J. Mladenoff,, Sissel Schroeder, and John W. Williams, “Defining the Spatial Patterns of Historical Land Use Associated with the Indigenous Societies of Eastern North America,” Journal of Biogeography41, no. 12 (2014): 2195.
- “Study Links Urbanization to Poor Ecological Knowledge, Less Environmental Action,” National Institute of Standards and Technology, May 04, 2022, https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2022/05/study-links-urbanization-poor-ecological-knowledge-less-environmental.
- Sverker Sörlin and Paul Warde, “The Problem of the Problem of Environmental History: A Re-Reading of the Field,” Environmental History12, no. 1 (2007): 108.
I feel worried about the parks and green spaces being destructed for construction, there are some mountain biking trails in Abbotsford that have been around for decades that there are rumours about the city destroying for more housing. How do you think one could go about convincing city plannings that a balance between constructing buildings and conserving nature is needed?
Reducing parks for the sake of urbanization is, I think, biased. Obviously, the overdevelopment of buildings is bad for the water cycle and land resources. The importance of the environment cannot be overstated, and I think it is more important that we develop the economy and protect the environment.