Over the past thirty years, the concept of science-based, ecosystem-level restoration has gained favor among scientists and policymakers as the most promising approach for returning degraded landscapes and watersheds to health and vitality.
Large-Scale Ecosystem Restoration presents case studies of five of the most noteworthy large-scale restoration projects in the United States: Chesapeake Bay, the Everglades, California Bay Delta, the Platte River Basin, and the Upper Mississippi River System. These projects embody current efforts to address ecosystem restoration in an integrative and dynamic manner, at large spatial scale, involving whole (or even multiple) watersheds, and with complex stakeholder and public roles.
Representing a variety of geographic regions and project structures, the cases shed light on the central controversies that have marked each project, outlining
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the history of the project
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the environmental challenges that generated it
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the difficulties of approaching the project on an ecosystem-wide basis
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organizational structures
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techniques for conflict resolution and consensus building
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the on-going role of science in decisionmaking
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the means of dealing with uncertainties
A concluding chapter offers a guide to assessing the progress of any large-scale restoration project, considering how to judge key factors including funding, setting and meeting goals, the quality of science and its integration in decisionmaking, managing and resolving conflict, and building and maintaining public awareness.
Large-Scale Ecosystem Restoration examines some of the most difficult and important issues involved in restoring and protecting natural systems, and makes a unique and valuable contribution to the field of ecological restoration. It is a landmark publication for scientists, policymakers, and anyone working to protect or restore landscapes or watersheds.
