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regeneration of nature: An alternative to ecological restoration

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Date Issued:
2006
Summary:
The Regeneration of Nature: an alternative to ecological restoration is an exploration of the human response to alterations society has imposed on natural ecosystems. Ecological restoration is the dominant response to these degraded systems that has emerged within Western, empirical thought. Restoration as it is characteristically practiced in the United States attempts to reverse human impact by returning an ecosystem to an earlier state of existence; its so called pre-disturbance condition. However, I argue that ecological restoration does not adequately address degraded ecosystems dominating today's landscape primarily because it excludes humans as an integrated part of ecosystems and it ignores the dynamic characteristics of nature. Despite the dichotomy embedded in the restoration view, humans and nature are best understood as interdependent. Therefore, those working on urban environmental issues must develop integrated solutions in which both society and nature benefit without creating negative impacts on each other. In The Regeneration of Nature: an alternative to ecological restoration , I show how the connections between science, society, and nature can be recognized as an integrated view to establish a new paradigm for positive change within communities, both natural and human. The new paradigm, which I entitle ecological regeneration, extends the interdisciplinary style of environmental research as it calls for the development, adoption, and dissemination of a truly integrated and dynamic socio-ecological model to replace the static and reductionist view that prevails within the ecological restoration model. Where restoration treats the human and natural environments as mutually exclusive, regeneration recognizes the necessity of integrating human built systems within nature and nature within built systems. By examining conceptual and practical problems within ecological restoration, my goal is to offer an ecological regeneration framework leading to theoretically better solutions with respect to society's impact on natural ecosystems. The vision I offer here of regenerating nature within the built environment is intended to help fellow scientists, non-scientists, and the general public pursue an environmentally accountable and socially responsible prospect.
Title: The regeneration of nature: An alternative to ecological restoration.
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Name(s): Hindle, Tobin
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Fiore, Robin N., Thesis advisor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Issuance: monographic
Date Issued: 2006
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 245 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The Regeneration of Nature: an alternative to ecological restoration is an exploration of the human response to alterations society has imposed on natural ecosystems. Ecological restoration is the dominant response to these degraded systems that has emerged within Western, empirical thought. Restoration as it is characteristically practiced in the United States attempts to reverse human impact by returning an ecosystem to an earlier state of existence; its so called pre-disturbance condition. However, I argue that ecological restoration does not adequately address degraded ecosystems dominating today's landscape primarily because it excludes humans as an integrated part of ecosystems and it ignores the dynamic characteristics of nature. Despite the dichotomy embedded in the restoration view, humans and nature are best understood as interdependent. Therefore, those working on urban environmental issues must develop integrated solutions in which both society and nature benefit without creating negative impacts on each other. In The Regeneration of Nature: an alternative to ecological restoration , I show how the connections between science, society, and nature can be recognized as an integrated view to establish a new paradigm for positive change within communities, both natural and human. The new paradigm, which I entitle ecological regeneration, extends the interdisciplinary style of environmental research as it calls for the development, adoption, and dissemination of a truly integrated and dynamic socio-ecological model to replace the static and reductionist view that prevails within the ecological restoration model. Where restoration treats the human and natural environments as mutually exclusive, regeneration recognizes the necessity of integrating human built systems within nature and nature within built systems. By examining conceptual and practical problems within ecological restoration, my goal is to offer an ecological regeneration framework leading to theoretically better solutions with respect to society's impact on natural ecosystems. The vision I offer here of regenerating nature within the built environment is intended to help fellow scientists, non-scientists, and the general public pursue an environmentally accountable and socially responsible prospect.
Identifier: 9780542750083 (isbn), 12232 (digitool), FADT12232 (IID), fau:9139 (fedora)
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2006.
Subject(s): Nature--Effect of human beings on
Extinction (Biology)
Biological diversity conservation
United States--Environmental policy
Ecosystem management
Ecological assessment (Biology)
Biodiversity
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/12232
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.