Rediscovering nature through the Urban Biodiversity Challenge 

Every now and then there are accounts of emergency calls received by Malaysia’s Fire and Rescue Department to remove “huge” monitor lizards or snakes from homes, where the giant reptiles turn out to be only thumb-sized geckoes, or cicak. Amusing as this may seem, the relationship between people and urban wildlife is complex and no laughing matter. As more and more people inhabit urban centres, we posit that urban biodiversity is an increasingly important—and hotly contested—topic. Through the Di Sekitar Kita (‘Around Us’) Urban Biodiversity Challenge we (re)discovered nature in Malaysia’s urban centres, explored the relationship between people and urban wildlife, and considered the potential of nature-based solutions for ecosystem restoration.  

See this video for highlights from UNDP Malaysia’s Di Sekitar Kita: Urban Biodiversity Challenge 2021, which began with a crowdsourcing campaign from 30 April to 9 May 2021. 

Our explorations to understand the urban biodiversity landscape were multi-fold. Using surveys and big data (over 21,000 iNaturalist observations!), we looked at how participants observed and perceived urban biodiversity. We constructed profiles of different users and surveyed their thoughts about how citizen science can improve their understanding and appreciation of urban biodiversity. 

We also examined why and how nature matters in cities. Drawing upon four neighbourhoods in Kuala Lumpur, we illustrate in four photo essays a variety of ways in which our world may be constructed through different understandings of ‘nature’. For added insights, we spoke to government agencies, non-government organizations, and urbanites living in Malaysia to unpack norms and values such as, “Is there a ‘biodiversity lens’ in designing green cities?” and “How do people embrace biodiversity in planned or unplanned spaces?”  

From our investigations, we learned five lessons for biodiverse and resilient cities:  

1. Green space matters, but how it is distributed matters more.  

2. Better distribution of green space increases accessibility and brings nature closer to us, but this is a double-edged sword—more integrated green space may cause conflict between humans and wildlife.  

3. Cities are a gateway to understanding and appreciating the complexity of biodiversity and ecosystems. 

4. Citizen science is a great way to (re)discover and reconcile with nature. 

5. Beyond protecting existing green space, we must create new ones—hand in hand with people and nature. 

What does a habitat for all look like?  

To spark (re)imagination of urban habitat possibilities, we dialogued with landscape architects, botanists, city planners, academics and community organizers in our ‘A Habitat for All’ webinar, organized in conjunction with World Habitat Day 2021.  

Moderated by Ms. Elba Fuster of UNDP’s Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development, Singapore, Panel 1: Living Laboratories—Enabling biodiversity in cities, from policies to people featured Mdm. Azlina Mat Salim, Director of Majlis Bandaraya Subang Jaya’s Landscape Department; Prof. Dato’ Dr. Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia; and Mr. Kennedy Michael, Founder of Alliance of River Three. 

Moderated by Ms. Gan Pek Chuan of UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, Panel 2: Living Libraries—Imagining a truly Malaysian, biodiverse urban landscape featured LAr. Meor Abdullah Zaidi Meor Razali, Director of Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh’s Parks and Landscape Department; Dr. Lillian Chua Swee Lian, Director of the Forest Research Institute Malaysia’s Forest Biodiversity Division; and LAr. Fong Jeng Jong, a committee member of the Northern Chapter, Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia. 

The event was attended by over 190 individuals. View the webinar recording here. 

Our guest speakers reminded us that we are not apart from nature, but we are a part of nature. Cities and nature should not be mutually exclusive. Rather, we need to see our role as stewards of the land, which requires a cultural shift in how we approach nature: it is essential to engage with citizens and raise biodiversity awareness, while addressing people’s fears of nature and wildlife. 

At the heart of the matter, we need to understand the complexities of the ecosystem. The better we understand interconnected systems, the more we can develop urban solutions that are in harmony with nature, and the more creative we can be with green space. For example, nature knows how to heal herself and as we learn from nature, we can leverage opportunities for nature-based solutions.  

Join us in piloting new ideas for urban habitats! 

Green spaces, environmental issues, and climate change are often seen through separate lenses. Nonetheless, in tackling these issues, the roles of local authorities, NGOs, and research and conservation institutions are complementary in a whole-of-society approach to create more resilient living and working spaces. We need platforms to bring diverse actors together and encourage experimentation across communities, campuses and cities. 

You can take action, too! For starters, gather a few friends or colleagues and test out our Habitat Kita toolkit to better understand urban plants and co-design biodiverse urban spaces: 

Quick links to resources: 

1. Shorthand feature article: A Habitat for All 

2. Di Sekitar Kita: Urban Biodiversity Challenge video 

3. Habitat Kita toolkit  

4. A Habitat for All webinar recording 

5. Urban Biodiversity Challenge original research and analysis pieces