Explore nature close to home To remystify the city we need first to break the association of nature with majestic mountains or pristine forests. The natural world does exist in the everyday lives of city dwellers, and wild nature close to home begs to be explored. There are more rabbits in the Edmonton city limits, a biologist tells me, than in the area immediately outside. Peregrine falcons nest on the ledges of city skyscrapers. Rodent and avian mooches lunch with us at parks and roadside stops.
Raccoons make their dens under our porches.
The first step in remystifying the city is simply to look around. Schoolyards have a wealth of unappreciated biomass, and one teacher related the fascination of his kids as they explored their school grounds and found mini-wetlands, evidence of many mammal species, and animal homes of all types. Study the urban forest, starting with the trees that line the streets, and include the humans that live around them. Explore parks and graveyards. Take a canoe trip within the city limits.