Living With Wildlife

Brookline contains a wide diversity of wildlife, despite its urban location. Wildlife populations utilize not only Brookline's extensive park system, nature sanctuaries, other large open spaces, and adjacent green spaces in other communities, but also small open spaces such as private gardens and yards, street trees and tree lawns, and vegetated corridors that link larger open spaces. Wildlife even take advantage of specific urban habitats and available food sources.

Management of our parks and conservation lands involves accommodating the needs and desires of citizens and park patrons, such as an increased demand for active recreation facilities as the population increases, as well as providing and managing wildlife habitat and wildlife populations when appropriate. As more of the town is developed, there are ever-increasing pressures on wildlife and their habitat. It seems habitat is shrinking just as many wildlife species are making a comeback.

Wildlife plays an important role in natural ecosystems and can provide many benefits. Unfortunately, there are also human-wildlife conflicts, which have been on a sharp increase over the past two decades. These conflicts are multifaceted and often there are many things that must be taken into consideration in order to find a solution. Our staff is continually researching the latest best management practices (BMPs) and trends in wildlife and habitat management. Our decisions are based on sound, scientific evidence, coupled with the needs of the community.