Discriminatory housing policies in the United States since the 1930s have resulted in a significant lack of bird sighting data in impacted neighborhoods, exacerbating the information gap on bird species between wealthy and impoverished areas.
In the United States, discriminatory housing policies implemented in the 1930s continue to have lasting effects on neighborhoods, leading to racial segregation and a myriad of social and environmental disparities. A recent study published in Nature Human Behavior reveals that these policies have also resulted in a significant lack of data on bird sightings in impacted neighborhoods, hindering ecologists’ understanding of biodiversity in major cities. The study highlights the role of citizen scientists in collecting bird data and sheds light on the need to address environmental injustice to ensure accurate mapping and conservation efforts.
The Legacy of Redlining and Environmental Injustice
During the Great Depression, the U.S. government enforced restrictive zoning policies known as redlining, which aimed to control housing in cities. These policies disproportionately affected Black residents, isolating them in areas of high poverty and limited resources. The effects of redlining are still evident today, not only in the racial segregation of neighborhoods but also in the distribution of flora and fauna, including birds.
Investigating the Link between Redlining and Bird Sightings
Researchers led by ecologist Diego Ellis-Soto from Yale University conducted a study examining 195 cities where redlining policies were implemented in the 1930s. They analyzed data from citizen science platforms such as eBird and iNaturalist, as well as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, to compare bird sightings over the past 90 years with neighborhood gradings.
A Disturbing Scarcity of Bird Sightings
The study revealed a significant drop in bird sightings within redlined neighborhoods. Some of these areas had only one-quarter of the bird records compared to wealthier areas in the same cities. This scarcity of bird sightings indicates that residents in these neighborhoods are missing out on the diverse species of birds found in wealthier areas.
Widening Information Gap
Despite the rise of digital citizen science platforms like eBird, the information gap on bird species between wealthy and impoverished areas has worsened over the past two decades. Between 2000 and 2020, the data shows that the gap widened by over 35%. This disparity in bird sightings highlights the ongoing impact of segregation on access to nature and environmental data.
The Luxury Effect and Bird Distribution
The distribution of birds in cities is influenced by the “luxury effect,” as coined by wildlife biologist Eric Wood from California State University, Los Angeles. The wealth disparity between neighborhoods affects the types of birds that citizens are likely to spot. For example, urban landscapes may be populated with pigeons and sparrows, while areas with more greenery may attract woodpeckers and hummingbirds.
Implications for Environmental Justice
The lack of bird sighting data in historically redlined areas with limited parks and green spaces raises concerns about environmental justice. Access to nature becomes challenging in these neighborhoods, resulting in fewer people engaging in activities like birdwatching. This disparity underscores the need to address environmental injustice and ensure equitable access to nature and its benefits.
Conclusion:
The study’s findings highlight the environmental injustices stemming from discriminatory housing policies in the United States. The scarcity of bird sighting data in redlined neighborhoods not only reflects the ongoing impact of segregation but also poses challenges for accurate mapping of biodiversity and conservation efforts. Addressing this data gap is crucial for understanding and preserving urban biodiversity. As the U.S. government’s Justice40 Initiative aims to allocate federal funding toward communities impacted by environmental injustice, it is essential to recognize the role of citizen scientists and ensure equitable access to nature for all. By addressing these disparities, we can work towards a more just and inclusive understanding of our natural world.
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