Ecological Restoration: A Global Challenge

Ecological restoration projects seek to recover the natural functioning of degraded ecosystems, most often areas disturbed by human large scale projects such as agriculture developments, road building, mining and urban sprawl. While scientists focus on the ecological basis of habitat repair, practitioners, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and local people, tend to worry about social, economic, cultural and political aspects. The value of ecological restoration is discussed here with examples including tropical forests in Vietnam and Australia; degraded environments in China as a paradigm of global issues; the restoration of wetlands and the coastal zone and how to proceed with urban developments. The author also uniquely assesses how ecological restoration can be used against the impacts of climate change. In addition to strategies for extending ecological restoration at global scale, it provides useful ideas and tools for the everyday work of professionals,researchers and students.