Conservation development: Designing and managing residential landscapes for wildlife

Abstract

Residential development is a leading cause of habitat loss and fragmentation, which contribute to global declines in wildlife populations and biodiversity. In the USA, sprawl and urbanization are major sources of land use change, and together with introductions of nonnative species, urbanization endangers more species than any other human activity. Residential sprawl is a particular concern for wildlife because private lands where development most often occurs are typically lower in elevation and more biologically productive and provide habitat for a disproportionate number of species compared to public lands.