The UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows in the last century, according to conservation organisations. This is due to agricultural intensification and increased use of pesticides and fertilisers. However, wildflowers are thriving in cities, where they thrive due to stress and adapt to the instability of city life. Increasingly, local authorities are making space for wildflowing in urban areas, which can help reduce competition. The increasing focus on urban areas is seen as a shift in ecologists' focus on nature in ecology. However this shift may not be welcomed, as wildflowed thrive in cities with different species adapted to suit suit suitability for city conditions. The increase in interest in urban wildflower habitats is also encouraging ecologists to focus on biodiversity.