A wooden barrel can be used to collect rain to water plants.
Urban conservation is the ecological practice of conserving green areas and natural resources in an urban environment. Gardens, parks and rivers in urban areas can benefit from urban conservation practices, which typically clean up pollution and encourage populations of native plant and animal species. Urban conservation can also include planting more trees, shrubs, and flowers in urban areas, which can help lower temperatures and cool urban air. Conserving water and energy in urban settings can also be important to conserving the world’s resources, as most people now live in urban areas. The introduction of more reliable public transport can also help with green urban planning, as it typically reduces carbon emissions in urban areas.
Urban conservation implies the preservation of green areas and natural resources in urban environments.
Cleaning up polluted urban waters and protecting those waters can be an important part of urban conservation. Rivers, lakes, coastal areas and other waterways in urban areas are vulnerable to pollution. Cleaning these waters and protecting them from further contamination can help restore ecosystems to a healthy state. Additionally, people who live in urban areas generally enjoy cleaner, healthier waterways where fishing, boating, and other recreational activities can take place. Protecting urban waterways can also increase urban resources by providing the area with an additional supply of fresh water.
Many urban planning officials believe that the addition of green space to an urban area can make that area more pleasant and perhaps healthier to live in. Trees and other plants in city parks and along avenues help reduce air temperatures. Urban areas are often buildings made of concrete, asphalt, and other materials that absorb sunlight, raising air temperatures in cities. Trees and bushes provide shade to help keep cities cool. They can also help filter pollution from the city’s air, while regulations on waste disposal and the use of outdoor chemicals can help further reduce pollution.
In smaller cities and towns, conservation can often mean providing places where native animals can live. Many animals continue to live alongside humans in smaller cities and towns. Cultivation of native vegetation, protection against soil erosion, and sometimes provision of refuge for native species can all be part of urban conservation. Even the most rural communities can encourage farmers to grow native plants that native species use for food and shelter. Gardeners and subsistence farmers can be encouraged to collect rainwater in tanks or barrels to irrigate crops and plants.