Going Wild: Helping Nature Thrive in Cities

In an addition to her Orca Footprints series of ecologically minded titles, Mulder promotes the idea of planning urban spaces that coexist in greater harmony with nature. Writing in short, casual sections, Mulder offers a brief, general history of how humans have become increasingly cut off from the wilderness and centralized within urban areas. Why does this matter? “Because no matter how much our cities usually separate us from the rest of nature, we humans are still part of the natural world,” she explains. With photographs of deer, foxes, coyotes, and other animals spotted within city limits, she lays out the challenges and opportunities for creating more green space. She references innovative urban planning—for example, in Helsinki, Finland, planners have created “green fingers,” or stretches of land within cities that enable wildlife to freely roam without encountering humans or vehicles. For readers who wish to help “invite nature back in,” Mulder suggests growing native plants in urban spaces, building bat houses, creating litter-free spaces, and composting. A slim yet thoughtful volume that offers an intriguing and achievable vision. Ages 9–12. (Mar.)