Wednesday, March 10, 2010

A Primer on Ecological Restoration - SER International

"There is now a growing realization that we will not be able to conserve the earth's biological diversity thorough the protection of critical areas alone.

Ecological restoration needs to address four elements. These elements are critical to successful ecosystem management. Ecological restoration should
1- improve diversity conservation
2- improve human livelihoods
3- empower local people
4 - improve ecosystem productivity

This means ecological restoration can be a primary component of conservation and sustainable development. What makes ecological restoration uniquely valuable is its inherent capacity to provide people with the opportunity not only to repair ecological damage, but also to improve the human condition. The conservation benefits of restoration are obvious. What is less apparent, but which is at least as important, is that in many instances, ecological restoration has also been able to renew economic opportunities, rejuvenate traditional cultural practices and refocus the aspirations of local communities."

Source: Society for Ecological Restoration International and the ICUM Commission on Ecosystem Management.

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