Homeowner Associations as a vehicle for promoting native urban biodiversity
Publication date: 2016-11-30
Bounding Coordinates:
Longitude:-113.34 to -111.59
Latitude:34.01 to 32.91
PO Box 875402,Tempe
caplter.data@asu.edu
Author(s):
- Susannah Lerman, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station
Abstract:
The loss of habitat due to suburban and urban development represents one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Conservation developments have emerged as a key player for reconciling new ex-urban residential development with ecosystem services. However, since more than half of the world population live in urban and suburban developments, identifying conservation partners to facilitate with retrofitting existing residential neighborhoods becomes paramount. Homeowner Associations (HOA) manage a significant proportion of residential developments in the United States, which includes the landscape design for yards and gardens. These areas have the potential to mitigate the loss of urban biodiversity when they provide habitat for native wildlife. Therefore the conditions and restrictions imposed upon the homeowner by the HOA could have profound effects on the local wildlife habitat. We explored the potential of HOAs to promote conservation by synthesizing research from three monitoring programs from Phoenix, AZ. We compared native bird diversity, arthropod diversity, and plant diversity between neighborhoods with and without an HOA. Neighborhoods belonging to HOAs had significantly greater bird and plant diversity, though insect diversity did not differ. The institutional framework structuring HOAs including sanctions for enforcement coupled with a predictable maintenance regime that introduces regular disturbance might explain why neighborhoods with an HOA had greater bird diversity. For neighborhoods with an HOA, we analyzed landscape form and management practices. We linked these features with ecological function and suggested how to modify management practices by adopting strategies from the Sustainable Sites Initiative, an international sustainable landscaping program, to help support biodiversity in current and future residential landscapes.
Keywords:
urban, biodiversity, community structure, conservation disturbance patterns, population studies residential landscapes, Homeowner Associations, development, Sustainable Sites Initiative cap lter, cap, caplter, central arizona phoenix long term ecological research, arizona, az, arid land
Temporal Coverage:
2009-10-01 to 2012-06-01Geographic Coverage:
Geographic Description: CAP LTER study areaBounding Coordinates:
Longitude:-113.34 to -111.59
Latitude:34.01 to 32.91
Contact:
Data Manager, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University,PO Box 875402,Tempe
caplter.data@asu.edu
Methods used in producing this dataset: Show
Data Files (1) :
Tabular: 640_HOA_diversity_8e386307d775151249cd52a98babe139.csv
Description: characteristics of HOAs in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, and corresponding animal (bird or arthropod) and plant diversity within those communities
Column | Description | Type | Units |
---|---|---|---|
Site | Survey 200 site name |
string | |
HOA NAME | Legal name of the HOA development |
string | |
Muni_1 | Municipality HOA is located |
string | |
Year | Year HOA developed |
date | Format: YYYY |
HOA | Is the neighborhood part of a HOA? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
CCR no HOA | Does the neighborhood have a CCR even though not part of a HOA? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
CCnR | Is there a CCR? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
ARC | Are the architectural guidelines accessible? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
M-Co | Name of HOA management company |
string | |
M_Weed | Is weed removal required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
M_Trim | Is pruning/trimming/mowing required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
M_Pest | Is pest control required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
M_Disease | Is plant disease control required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Encroach | Are overhead encroachments prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
P_Height | Is there a maximum plant height? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
SpeciesP | Are species prohibited? |
string |
Enumeration:
|
SpeciesR | Are species required? |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Species L | 1=yes 2=separate doc 3=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
TurfP | Is turf prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
TurfR | Is turf required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Drainage | Is drainage regulated? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Topography | Are changes to topography prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Irrigation | Is irrigation requirement? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Trash R | Is trash removal required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Trash C | Are trash containers required? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Perch A | Are antennas prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Perch C | Are clotheslines prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Perch S | Are signs prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Temp Structures | Are temporary structures allowed? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Animals D | Is the number of domestic animals limited or weight limited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Animals L | Are livestock animals prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Noise | Is noise/nuisance prohibited? 1=yes, 2=no |
string |
Enumeration:
|
Notes | Additional comments on the HOA |
string | |
NAT SHAN BIRD | Native bird diversity index (Shannon) from PASS bird survey |
float | dimensionless |
SHAN PLNT | Plant diversity index (Shannon) from 2005 Survey 200 |
float | dimensionless |
SHAN BUG | Arthropod diversity (Shannon) from 2005 Survey 200 |
float | dimensionless |
INCOME | Median household income of US Census Block Group |
float | number |
YRBUILT | Average age of housing stock in US Census Block Group |
date | Format: YYYY |
3ha Dist | At Survey 200 plot center, distance to 3.2 ha contiguous desert tract (m) |
float | meter |
1km - Imp | At Survey 200 plot center. Decimal fraction of 1 km plot classified impervious surface |
float | dimensionless |
NUM TE | Total number of thin-leaf evergreen trees along 100m transect at Survey 200 plot center |
float | number |