In our journal City Diversity, a special issue is calling for papers about urban natural areas.

Urban natural areas are essential parks and open spaces in any city. These areas are important not only for humans but also for other species. In many cases, urban natural areas are more essential for the flora and fauna of a particular area because their species are confined to these small areas. Natural areas are different from typical parks in as much as they have a pre-developed status. These areas are maintained through the removal of invasive species and are shaped to provide maximum habitat for plants and animals. Many urban natural areas serve as educational tools, teaching visitors how to help be stewards of these important public assets.

Natural areas in various stages of maturity can be found in many cities. Some examples were gifted early in a city�s history and contain a very mature ecosystem. In some cases, some land has been gifted to cities or institutions and designated for conversion to natural areas. These areas are less mature and require close management to ensure that the site is remediated and established at an appropriate rate to allow for succession.

Urban natural areas are of vital interest to every resident in the city. In this issue, we are looking forward to collecting more studies and research on the natural urban areas such as urban forests, urban Greenlands, the influence of COVID19, environmental evaluation, urban natural areas restoration, etc.

urban forests, urban Greenlands, the influence of COVID19, environmental evaluation, urban natural areas restoration, etc.