IN PRAISE OF MUNDANE NATURE: THE UNSUNG NATURE IN ALLEYWAYS AND BACKYARDS PLAYS AND IMPORTANT ROLE IN URBAN LIVES

Our collective identity as Canadians and our conception of the environment is largely one of endless forests, untamed rivers and free-ranging wildlife. This vision, however, no longer reflects the reality of most of our lives. Four out of five Canadians live in major cities or their suburbs, far from the landscapes depicted on postcards. The nature we find in our day-to-day lives exists mainly in empty lots and back alleys. It lurks in drainage ditches and along transportation rights-of-way. Far from spectacular, it is mundane. Most North Americans have a blind spot for mundane nature.