WHEN GREEN SPACES LOSE THEIR ECOLOGICAL VALUE: URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND RED AVADAVAT (AMANDAVA AMANDAVA) CONSERVATION THROUGH BIODIVERSITY-SENSITIVE URBAN DESIGN IN BAHRIA TOWN, LAHORE

Abstract

The transformation of Lahore’s green landscapes into built environments is increasingly associated with biodiversity loss, particularly among avian species. As urban development expands, buildings, reflective surfaces, and impervious structures replace ecologically valuable landscapes, reducing habitat availability for birds and other wildlife. This pattern is evident in Bahria Town Lahore, where the conversion of ecologically diverse landscapes, including farmlands, wetlands, and native vegetation, into built environments dominated by ornamental landscaping and hard surfaces raises concerns about habitat degradation and fragmentation. This study examines the relationship between construction-driven green space loss, the expansion of impervious surfaces, vegetation loss, and the fragmentation of green infrastructure, focusing on their implications for avian biodiversity and local climatic conditions in Bahria Town Lahore. It adopts a qualitative, comparative, and analytical methodology informed by the framework of Biodiversity-Sensitive Urban Design (BSUD) to explore how urban development patterns influence ecological connectivity and habitat suitability. Particular attention is given to the Red Avadavat (Amandava amandava), a bird associated with grasslands, dense grassy vegetation, and suitable shrub habitats. Its habitat requirements provide a basis for evaluating species-responsive urban planning and the ecological limitations of predominantly ornamental landscaping. The study emphasises that urban development and ecological conservation need not be competing objectives. Integrating biodiversity-oriented green infrastructure, native vegetation, habitat corridors, green roofs, and green walls into urban planning can help reconcile urban growth with biodiversity conservation. Ultimately, the research advocates a shift from predominantly ornamental landscaping towards ecologically informed urban development in Bahria Town Lahore, where green spaces are valued not only for their aesthetic and recreational benefits but also for sustaining wildlife, enhancing ecological connectivity, and supporting a climate-responsive urban environment.