City
Although cities were originally designed for people, they also provide habitat for many plants, animals and other organisms. Urban environments are challenging places to survive, as organisms cope with high temperatures, noise, lack of water, light pollution, traffic and constant disturbance. Nevertheless, many species have developed remarkable adaptations and now successfully live in city centres, such as those of Nova Gorica and Gorizia.
An important part of urban nature is formed by green spaces, parks, tree-lined avenues, gardens, and abandoned corners. The Nova Gorica–Gorizia urban area is characterised by numerous green spaces and a great diversity of park trees. Nova Gorica was originally designed as a city in a park. Beautiful examples of parks in this area include the Rafut Park and Viatori Garden in Gorizia. In such environments, birds such as tits and blackbirds find shelter, while bats, hedgehogs, frogs and numerous invertebrates are often more hidden from view.
At the same time, the cross-border region is an important meeting point of road and railway transport, which enables the constant introduction of new species. This is one reason why biodiversity in cities is often high, although frequently at the expense of non-native species, such as annual fleabane (Erigeron annuus) or various horseweeds and fleabanes (Conyza spp.). These species usually first appear in ruderal areas, such as road verges, waste ground, construction sites and similar places.
In city centres, we most often notice larger animals such as birds – crows, magpies and sparrows – but smaller organisms, that we often overlook, are no less interesting. Spiders, millipedes, centipedes, woodlice, wild bees, butterflies and many other insects are our regular companions in cities. Sometimes, urban environments can even support rare or endangered species. Right next to the city centre of Nova Gorica, in the Koren stream, for example, lives the endangered Italian agile frog (Rana latastei).