Urban wildlife researchers gather for a historic first summit
In November 2019, the Urban Wildlife Information Network held its first ever summit at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, bringing together approximately 76 experts from across the United States and Canada. Scientists, urban planners, designers, land managers, and community leaders representing 19 of UWIN's 24 active partner cities spent four days in workshops focused on urban biodiversity, planning, and equity.
A central theme throughout the summit was the need for better communication and collaboration across disciplines. Attendees identified key barriers to making cities more wildlife-friendly, including limited financial resources, public misperceptions about wildlife, and the challenge of balancing community development with ecological needs. Many participants described the gathering as a breakthrough moment.
UWIN, created by Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute, launched in 2017 with eight partner cities and has since grown to 24 cities across the US and Canada. The network uses motion-activated cameras to collect wildlife data, comparing results across cities to identify both regional differences and global patterns in animal behavior.
Looking ahead, UWIN plans to expand its committees to include urban planning, environmental justice, and social science, with the goal of getting research into the hands of people who can act on it.
