Each chapter covers a different city where an aspect of the nature and natural living is protected.
Wildly engaging and flowing naturally (some descriptors for the experts/people interviewed were unnecessary, some others aligned with the themes of the book), this is an excellent book which gives the reader perspective, insight and optimism.
I hope we can get a differently presented and laid out version with photos, visuals, and maybe qr codes to experience the best practices more.

In this wonderful book, Chris Fitch, starting with the premise that it's natural for us to spend time in nature and seeing green trees, "a conversation in your native language. Light and easy ...," and unnatural and harmful to experience "a nature-deficient life," tours cities of the world which have undertaken various ecological projects, from green walls in Singapore to trafficless roundabouts in Barcelona and a huge urban park in Kenya ... oh, yes, and to graveyards in Paris.

Each chapter is themed around an issue, so the presence of greenery as a balm and calm to city residents, insects, trees, water and its creatures, birds, mammals, and what we do with the dead. In each city he meets a range of activists, pithily described and warmly discussed, and also shares the research, very well annotated and footnoted (28% of the book is made up of the notes). There is even a description at the end about how London became the first National Park City, with its own rangers and overarching organisational structure.

Although the chapters are on separate topics, bringing in extra cities to the main one under study, Fitch draws out some common themes in the Epilogue: a focus on biodiversity, on protected spaces and on maintaining high-quality connectivity between them (through green corridors and bridges over motorways, etc.). Another is optimism, which shines through this book - even though shifting baselines are a problem and we might never get back to what we once had, all the initiatives he looks at are based on optimism that something can be done and will be able to offer city-dwellers and nature some kind of positive experience.

I really think this is the kind of book that people who say they don't enjoy non-fiction would enjoy, as it's really engaging, not at all dry and full of people and experiences as well as facts and research.

Blog review published April 23 2025 https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2025/04/19/book-reviews-melissa-arnot-reid-enough-and-chris-fitch-wild-cities/

This is science in a highly readable form as we travel the globe exploring innovative ways of greening cities both for the benefit of their human inhabitants and for the wildlife they have affected. The topics are broad, every chapter delving into a different realm. What shines through the entire book is the importance of reconnecting with the natural world to promote both physical and mental wellbeing.

I found just one aspect irritating and unnecessary and that was the description of each expert the writer met, hair colour, clothes, etc, but still 5 stars.

A global exploration of the ways cities are slowly finding balance with nature, ecosystems, and the human need for natural connection, I loved this book!

The writing style is phenomenal. Fitch brings us with him every step of the way, explaining technical concepts in ways that are easy to understand, introducing us to amazing humans he's met along his travels, and his conversational style makes this a joy to read.

I was delighted at the breadth of topics in the book from fish migration, to biking infrastructure, to foraging, to the ways that animals have been forced to adapt to cityscapes. There's a phenomenal narrative thread and interconnectedness to every single element. Rarely do I encounter such readable and propulsive non-fic!

I can't recommend this highly enough. If you're dismayed by sprawling metropolises, car-centricity, climate breakdown... and would like a snapshot of how things could be, check out this book.

The importance of vegetation in cities. The book starts with tree-hugging in Tokyo, moving on to diverse cities including Nairobi, Medellin (Columbia), Sydney and Copenhagen, with mentions of London. (I can recommend the Sky Garden, overlooking the Thames and London Eye.) The author speaks to people out in the field trying to prevent more deforestation and make more green spaces in cities, vertical or horizontal. One of the problems is how to try and join up green spaces to make green corridors, so that particular animals and plants are less likely to die out and rivers and streams can flow freely. Fascinating and thought-provoking.