What is good ecological restoration?

Authors:
Higgs, E.

Publication Date:
1997

Abstract/Summary:
Defining an end point for restoration is as much an ethical matter as a technical one, but scientifically trained restorationists have largely ignored the former issue. I argue that good restoration requires an expanded view that includes historical, social, cultural, political, aesthetic, and moral aspects. This expanded definition is necessary at a practical level to guide practitioners in the pursuit of excellence and at a conceptual level to prevent restoration from being swamped by technological activities and projects that veer away from ecological fidelity. Ecological fidelity is based on three principles: structural/compositional replication, functional success, and durability. These principles produce effective restoration, which is a necessary but not a sufficient condition of good restoration.

Resource Type:
Peer-reviewed Article

Source:
Conservation Biology

Link:
https://crrc.unh.edu/sites/crrc.unh.edu/files/media/docs/Workshops/human_dimensions/reading_materials/higgs_cons_bio_1997_restoration_endpts.pdf