About SKUNK
Over half the world’s population lives in urban or suburban areas and the footprint of cities is expanding. As a result of urbanization, humans and wildlife interact more in cities than in any other habitat. These interactions affect biodiversity, human health, safety and welfare in both positive and negative ways. As the footprint of the human built environment expands, it is becoming increasingly apparent that we must understand how humans and wildlife can share these urban landscapes.
As our landscapes transform from agriculture to urban, the wildlife that lived in the agricultural matrix are displaced or must adapt to urban life – leading to increases in human-wildlife conflict. For example, Kentucky has experienced a dramatic population shift in the last century, from only 26.2% of the population living in urban areas in 1920 to 58% in 2020. Our city parks provide critical wildlife habitat in the Lexington-Fayette Urban region.
This project will expand our understanding of how wildlife uses Lexington parks, developing methods to minimize human/wildlife conflict, and encouraging citizen engagement with and connection to the natural resources on campus.
As our landscapes transform from agriculture to urban, the wildlife that lived in the agricultural matrix are displaced or must adapt to urban life – leading to increases in human-wildlife conflict. For example, Kentucky has experienced a dramatic population shift in the last century, from only 26.2% of the population living in urban areas in 1920 to 58% in 2020. Our city parks provide critical wildlife habitat in the Lexington-Fayette Urban region.
This project will expand our understanding of how wildlife uses Lexington parks, developing methods to minimize human/wildlife conflict, and encouraging citizen engagement with and connection to the natural resources on campus.