Thoughts On Adaptive Management

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 4 Number 3
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.16/

Thoughts On Adaptive Management

It is described by some as the most successful approach to complex natural resource challenges. Yet many of us are still struggling just to get our arms around the term “adaptive management.” Heralded by a growing following of practitioners as a flexible, science-based and stakeholder-driven approach to natural resource conservation, restoration and protection, adaptive management is generating quite a buzz. Evidence of this buzz is everywhere – from the Everglades of Florida, to the Maya Forest of Guatemala, to the tussock grasslands of New Zealand.

Should we really begin our work with a hypothesis rather than a proposed solution? Will clients and colleagues buy this idea of learning from experimentation and adapting management strategies as we go? Can science and management truly come together to successfully protect and restore ecosystems well into the ever-changing future?

In this issue of Leaf Litter, we begin to address some of these questions. We talk with Dr. Barry Gold, former Chief of the Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center, who put adaptive management theory to practice with the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program. We also share the results of our survey on adaptive management. If you are one of many readers confused about the difference between active and passive adaptive management, take a look at our simple clarification. For recommended reading material and web sites containing links to programs using adaptive management, check out our list of resources.

We hope this issue of Leaf Litter begins to shed some light on what is emerging as one of the most exciting approaches to ecological restoration, conservation planning and regenerative design. As always, we welcome your feedback.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Human Systems

Ecological Restoration
Vol. 24 Number 2
http://ecologicalrestoration.info/

Human Systems

I have been thinking a lot lately about what it takes to plan, install, manage, monitor and sustain ecological restoration projects. Sure, it takes research, tools and perseverance. But most of all it takes people - typically lots of people. And what I am discovering is that it takes people that we never even thought had any relevance to the initiative in the first place to make an ecological restoration project a truly long term success.

As biologists, ecologists, landscape architects, and engineers, we are good at conceptualizing webs of connections and relationships between components of natural systems. We develop complex frameworks that describe inter-relationships between nutrient flows and species diversity, or hydraulic models describing the relationship between river flows and sediment transport. But how many times do we develop conceptual models or map out relationship webs describing how people intervene, interact and relate to an ecological restoration project? After all, aren’t human endeavors systems too? Yet we typically ignore human systems in our restoration endeavors, or at best we give it fleeting attention. After all, it’s more fun to be tinkering with planting compositions, counting soil microbes or burning prairies then to be forging relationships with adversaries, reaching out to the disenfranchised or participating in true dialogue.

People, or more broadly termed ‘stakeholders’, I am ever more convinced are the key to the long term success of a restoration project. More so then specifying the right soil, selecting the right plants, or processing the right knowledge. In fact, SER International and IUCN came to the same conclusion in 2004 with the publication of Ecological Restoration – a means of conserving biodiversity and sustaining livelihoods; A call to action by the ecological restoration joint working group of SER International and the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management. The document points out that principles of good ecological restoration practice must not only recognize attributes from ecosystems, but is should also incorporate elements from human systems, including:

• Ensuring all stakeholders are fully aware of the full range of possible alternatives, opportunities, costs and benefits offered by restoration.
• Empowering all stakeholders, especially disenfranchised resource users.
• Engaging all relevant sectors of society and disciplines, including the displaced and powerless, in planning, implementation and monitoring.
• Involving relevant stakeholders in the definition of boundaries for restoration.
• Considering all forms of historical and current information, including scientific and indigenous and local knowledge, innovations and practices.

Like modeling ecological processes, stakeholder engagement takes time, effort and commitment. And it takes dialogue. Most of what we do today is communicate. In fact, communication is easier to do then ever. Thanks to cellular phones, the internet and air travel, communicating with someone half-way around the world is easier then ever. How come then, miscommunication is blamed for many of the problems we face in ecological restoration. Is it because we are communicating but not really engaged in dialogue? Dialogue requires a commitment to speaking and listening in a more deliberate way than normally takes place in ordinary conversation or in discussion. Dialogue requires a commitment to speaking and listening more deliberately, which allows deeper understanding to emerge and encourages a sense of shared meaning. Perhaps if we entered into true dialogue with all stakeholders our ecological restoration research, projects and initiatives would be resounding successes.

Maybe we should approach ecological restoration first from a people perspective. Identify and map out the myriad of people, relationships, and cultural processes that will influence the ecological restoration process. Assess the critical human factors that will facilitate the success of the initiative and plan for these in our research and projects. Then we can watch ecological restoration really sustain itself.

In the Fifth Discipline, the Art and Practice of the Learning Organization, author Peter Senge makes the case that human systems thinking is a shift of mind – from seeing ourselves as separate from the world to connected to the world. Perhaps ecological restoration is as much about restoring human spirit as it is about restoring ecosystems?

Let us know what you think?
Should SER International be doing more to support the integration of human systems thinking into our programs, conferences and work? Give us your thoughts and suggestions. Call (520.622.5485) or write us at info@ser.org.

Keith Bowers, Chair
Society for Ecological Restoration International
http://www.ser.org/

Thoughts On Earth Day

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 4 Number 2
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.15/

Thoughts On Earth Day

There is some debate over who came up with the original concept of Earth Day. Some attribute it to peace activist John McConnell, who first introduced the idea of an international Earth Day, celebrated on the vernal equinox (around March 21), at a 1969 UNESCO conference on the environment. Many credit Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson, who organized the first April 22 Earth Day event as a nationwide, grassroots demonstration aimed at bringing the environment into the political mainstream. Still others credit Fred Dutton, Special Assistant to President John F. Kennedy.

Regardless of who holds the bragging rights for this brilliant idea, the fact that Earth Day has expanded in size and scope is unquestionable. Whether Earth Day was started for peace, politics or both, and whether it is celebrated in March or April, all can agree that in the 36 years since it began, it has evolved into an international celebration of nature. According to the Earth Day Network, Earth Day is celebrated by more than half a billion people each year in more than 170 countries.

So whether you decide to mark this venerated anniversary by cleaning a coral reef in Honduras, helping kids start their own butterfly garden in Singapore, or planting native trees in your own backyard, observance of Earth Day is a great way to recommit to the protection and restoration of our planet. It’s also a terrific opportunity to reconnect to the places in which we live, work and play.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Thoughts on Stakeholder Engagement

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 4 Number 1
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.14/

Thoughts on Stakeholder Engagement

How do you define "stakeholder?" Land owner? Elected official? Business person? Recreational visitor? Leader of a cultural group? To begin examining stakeholder inclusion in ecological restoration, conservation planning and regenerative design, we must first present a clear definition of the term. At Biohabitats, we define a stakeholder as any person who is – perhaps even unknowingly – a critical component of a place. A person who is directly or indirectly affected by the work we do. By stakeholder engagement, we mean an ongoing exchange of information and inclusion of all stakeholders – not just the wealthy, powerful and loud - throughout every phase of a project.

Because stakeholders have something to gain or lose by the outcome of our work, it seems only natural that they be involved throughout the many stages of an environmental project. One would assume that effective stakeholder involvement would result in mutual benefit, for the project and the stakeholders. Sadly, though, this is not always the case. As you will see in our recent reader survey results, numerous Leaf Litter readers have conflicting thoughts on this subject. Many of you support the idea of stakeholder inclusion, but find it very difficult and expensive to put into practice.

The benefits to stakeholder inclusion are abundant and obvious. Talking with home owners in the planning stages of a nearby wetland restoration, for example, may allow you to gather values-based, anecdotal information you might have otherwise missed if relying only on data obtained from studies and experts. A stakeholder who receives accurate information and believes as though his or her voice has been heard may be much more likely to embrace the project than someone who has been left out process. When done well, the act of inclusion can not only lead to broad-based project approval, but it can also help bridge the gaps between power and powerlessness, politics and populace, and people and place.

But how can we possibly identify all stakeholders? How can we motivate disinterested parties to participate? Even if we can, how will we afford it, and how can we ensure that our project is not compromised or slowed down by a bottleneck of debate?

We'll begin by taking a look at folks who do it well – from those at Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, who are making local connections as they recruit and work with volunteers, to Pamela Mang of Regenesis Group, who uses the process of conversation to tap into the local wisdom of stakeholders while helping to deepen their appreciation for and reawaken their connection to their place. We also include recommended resources, and an example or two of how we are involving stakeholders involvement in our projects.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Blurring the boundaries…

Ecological Restoration
Vol. 24 Number 1
http://ecologicalrestoration.info/

Blurring the boundaries…

It is not my practice to dwell on the past but rather to focus on the future. However, I can’t help but think about the great strides ecological restoration and has made this past year.

Throughout 2005 I was pleasantly surprised to see ecological restoration mentioned or featured in engineering design and construction trade magazines, conservation journals, and sustainable design publications. It reinforces my perspective that the ‘boundaries are blurring’ between the disciplines of conservation, environmentally sustainable development and ecological restoration. It has to. Complex ecological problems often require integrated solutions. Conserving biodiversity, restoring critical habitat and living lightly on the land all play a vital role in reversing ecological degradation.

Take the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004 and the more recent Hurricane Katrina, which struck the gulf coast of the United States. Conserving mangroves or coastal wetlands alone will do little to save lives, infrastructure and thwart the power of these natural disasters in the future. Similarly, restoring mangroves, bottomland hardwood forests and river systems without ongoing conservation initiatives will also do little good in the long term. And finally, all the environmentally sustainable building measures in the world will be useless without a landscape that contains a balanced and integrated mix of gray and green infrastructure. No, what both of these regions need is an approach that combines all three of these disciplines. One that blurs the boundaries!

This past year we also saw ecological restoration begin to solidify its role in the exciting new discipline of ecological economics. First, at SER International’s 1st World Conference on Ecological Restoration in Zaragoza, Spain this past year Robert Costanza of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics (http://www.uvm.edu/giee/) gave an inspiring, educational, and somewhat sobering account of the consequences of ignoring ecological systems in today’s global economy. It became apparent during the presentation that ecological restoration has an important, if not critical role to play in the future of ecological economics. Besides the fact that ecological restoration can replenish our diminishing supply of natural capital, it also has the potential to put thousands of people to work, to spur new technologies and to forge new alliances among peoples throughout the world.

Following on the footsteps of the World Conference, I had the opportunity to participate in two separate workshops focused on integrating the fields of economics and ecological restoration. On a local level, I took part in Revitalizing Communities through Integrated Restoration, a workshop sponsored in part by the Canaan Valley Institute in the United States. The workshop examined the possibilities of encouraging and empowering the growth of a restoration industry for the Appalachian Highlands, a rural and economically impoverished area of the eastern United States. What struck me most about his workshop was the genuine interest and enthusiastic response exhibited by local politicians, business leaders and community activists. Terms like ‘quality of life’ and ‘sense of place’ were actually being mentioned in the same sentence with economic growth and ecological restoration. Can ecological restoration arrest and reverse the impacts wrought by the extractive coal mining and logging industries? The Appalachian Highlands is betting it can.

On a more global level I also participated in an international symposium convened by James Aronson, James Bilgnaut, and Peter H. Raven on Global Strategies for Restoring Natural Capital, hosted by the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St. Louis, Missouri and sponsored in part by SER, International. This workshop included a gathering of ecologists, economists, entrepreneurs, and representatives from all over the globe to explore how natural capital, as a major growth industry, can be adequately and fully integrated with economics.

While the symposium focused on the accounting of sources, services, sinks and sites for natural goods and services, it also touched on what many may consider tangential issues but integral to the world’s economy, including human’s relationship with nature. The results of this symposium, the 2nd in a series, will be documented in a book to be published as part of SER’s book series by Island Press.

Clearly ecological restoration has an important role to play in our world’s future economy, conservation programs and sustainable design initiatives. Clearly blurring the boundaries between these disciplines is what is needed to help arrest and turn the tide on ecological degradation. Go ahead, plant a tree, save a panda and buy organic - blur the boundaries!

Keith Bowers, Chair
Society for Ecological Restoration International
www.ser.org

Thoughts on Hibernation/Seasonal Slumber

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 3 Number 5
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.13/

Thoughts on Hibernation/Seasonal Slumber

A wintry walk is an ideal time to reflect on past seasons and the many marvels of nature. But as we stroll amidst frosted forests, powdery peaks, and icy ponds, many of us forget that one of the most critical stages of life is quietly occurring just beneath our feet, below the surface of the water, under a rock, or within a hollow log. In this issue of Leaf Litter, we will explore the fascinating world of species hibernation and seasonal dormancy. We’ll also highlight the Vancouver Island marmot, a hibernating animal that, with the help of committed people, is surviving near extinction. All types of deep “sleep,” including hibernation, estivation (aestivation) and diapause, serve as critical stages in the lives of many species – stages that should not be forgotten as we strive to conserve biodiversity.

There are many definitions of hibernation, but generally, the term refers to a state of regulated hypothermia that allows an animal to conserve energy and survive during the winter when there is a lack of food. During hibernation, an animal’s metabolism slows down significantly, its body temperature lowers, and it does not eat, drink, urinate or defecate. Some hibernating animals stir as often as once a week, but others sleep throughout the season. Examples of hibernating animals include: bats, ground squirrels, terrapins, snakes, frogs, marmots, and newts. There is even a rare bird, the Poorwill, which hibernates. There is debate about whether or not the bear is a true hibernator, since its body temperature does not decrease as dramatically as other hibernating animals. If you ask Minnesota Natural Resources Bear Biologist Dave Garshelis, as we did, he’ll tell you they are. Until recently, no primate and now tropical mammal was known to hibernate, but an article in the June 24 edition of Nature, reveals that the Madagascan fat-tailed dwarf lemur hibernates in tree holes for seven months.

Some animals, such as badgers, raccoons, skunks and chipmunks, have shorter hibernation times, sometimes referred to as torpor. Also used to describe very short periods of sleep or inactivity during the day or night, torpor involves a decrease in the animal’s heart rate and temperature. An animal in torpor does not seem to see, hear or feel things going on around it, and can be quite groggy upon waking.

Many animals in hot, desert climates go into a state of dormancy to survive hot, dry conditions. As with hibernation, heartbeat and breathing are very slow. Estivating animals use significantly less energy, and they do not move, grow or eat during this time. Examples of animals that estivate include earthworms, snails, some frogs, toads and turtles, and many reptiles.

Many insects, including the Colorado potato beetle adapt to a lack of food or water by entering a sleep state known as diapause, where they do not grow. Some insects, including the gypsy moth, grasshopper, and white cabbage butterfly, lay diapausing eggs, which experience a pause in their cycle from egg to adult.

As with every issue of Leaf Litter, you helped determine the content by participating in our reader’s survey. Thanks for your role in putting together this issue. We wish you a happy, healthy and peaceful Winter Solstice.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Learning from Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Ecological Restoration
Vol. 23 Number 4
http://ecologicalrestoration.info/

Learning from Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Many practitioners of ecological restoration have long assumed that our field is solely the domain of Western science. Many of the environmental challenges we face are a direct result of industrialization, which in itself is most likely a product of western science, and we assume that the same science that got us into our current predicament will offer us ways to set things back in balance. As Albert Einstein puts it –

“The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking
with which we created them.”

So where do we turn? Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) may provide many answers. For countless generations, indigenous cultures throughout the world have been developing, refining and passing down TEK. Many TEK experts retain a remarkable long-term view of environmental change as a result of their people having lived in the same place for eons. For example, indigenous experts in global climate change have been tracking subtle shifts in the flora, fauna and weather patterns where they live. They notice subtle changes in the flavor of the meat from the animals they raise and hunt. They track variations in the migration patterns of birds, and changes in crop robustness. Their intimate knowledge of their land and environment, coupled with a strong oral tradition that preserved knowledge form earlier times, offers insights into global climate change that Western science simply can't replicate. TEK is a cumulative and dynamic process that builds upon collective wisdom, practical experience and adaptation to change. TEK experts typically have access to information about, for example, how past generations coped with environmental changes resulting from radical shifts in rainfall and temperature. Indigenous experts have a tremendous amount of compelling information to share with the ecological restoration community. And in September, they are going to have that opportunity!

SER International's Working Group, the Indigenous Peoples' Restoration Network (IPRN), is convening an historic gathering of indigenous experts from around the world to discuss, compare ideas and share expertise on how TEK can address global climate change. Called Earth in Transition: How Traditional Ecological Knowledge Addresses Climate Change, the meeting will be held on September 13, 2005, in Zaragoza, Spain, the day before SER International's three-day World Conference on Restoration begins, and continuing as a special track during the World Conference. Invited experts include 100 indigenous leaders from the Subarctic and Arctic zones; arid regions of Africa, Central Asia, and Australia; the Russian Far East and Siberia; the South Pacific\Indian Ocean islands; South America; Latin America and the Caribbean. More than a thousand ecological restoration professionals from around the globe will be attending the World Conference which follows Earth in Transition, and TEK experts will have many opportunities to network, educate, share resources and have a profound influence on the field of ecological restoration.

Like many of my colleagues, I was not aware of the breadth of investigation TEK experts have engaged in to understand global climate change. My hope is that those of us who practice from a Western orientation will listen, learn and put into practice what our indigenous colleagues have to share with us. The point is, we need all the creative collaboration we can get to find ways to mitigate the negative effects of global climate change. And while indigenous solutions may help guide Western science, scientific solutions may help local indigenous communities. The integration of TEK within the modern scientific framework has the potential to offer more stability and balance in the way we interact with the Earth.

What is exciting is that Earth in Transition is part of a long-term effort by SER International to help develop TEK and integrate it into the practice, research and celebration of ecological restoration. At the conclusion of the Earth in Transition gathering, SER will invite participants to form an advisory council of TEK experts to collaborate with SER to convene a World Congress on the integration of TEK and Western science, to be held in 2007.

For more information about Earth in Transition, and to find out how to get a copy of the DVD of the proceedings, visit the new IPRN website: www.ser.org/iprn, a first of its kind portal to resources and information on TEK.

Keith Bowers, Chair
Society for Ecological Restoration International
www.ser.org

Thoughts on Soil

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 3 Number 4
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.12/newsletter.htm

Thoughts on Soil

Soil. It is one of the most essential natural resources on our planet, alongside air and water. It is, literally, the foundation for life. In fact, a mere teaspoonful of soil is believed to contain over 4 billion microorganisms (more than half of the human population)!

Soil growth is so slow, it is considered a non-renewable resource. The process of soil formation can take thousands of years. Yet threats such as erosion, climate change, deforestation, agriculture, resource extraction, pollution and poor land management are endangering soil all over the world.

Restoration efforts using compost material, plants, microbial communities, prescribed fire, land imprinting, and other methods are out there, but in general, when it comes to ecological restoration and conservation planning, this vulnerable, critical resource is often treated with little regard.

In this issue of Leaf Litter we attempt to bring this "dirty" issue to the surface, unearthing useful information, helpful resources and inspiring soil restoration pioneers along the way.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Restoration at Different Scales

Ecological Restoration
Vol. 23 Number 3
http://ecologicalrestoration.info/

Restoration at Different Scales

If you are like me, you are probably engaged in restoration at many different scales. There will be some days when I am focused on restoring the interstitial habitat between gravel in a trout stream and there will be other days when I am contemplating potential climate change effects to a tidal marsh in the Chesapeake Bay. Working at these different scales provides me with both a sense of context in which to view these seemingly disparate pieces and it also provides me with just the right intellectual stimulation to always keep things interesting.

I have also come to realize the importance of scale regarding the governance of SER International. On one level, SER International is reaching out around the globe. Our partnership with the World Conservation Union is providing us with the opportunity to support, promote and advance ecological restoration to degraded ecosystems throughout the world. The Global Restoration Network, a web based portal being developed by SER headquarters, will reach out to the four corners of the earth, providing people with access to information and resources they would otherwise never have had an opportunity to obtain. While ‘thinking’ on a global scale is essential when tackling ecological restoration initiatives, it is ‘acting’ on the local scale that really makes the difference.

Take Dr. Narayan Desai, a long time SER member who has been working tirelessly, most of the time with little funding, to advance the practice of ecological restoration throughout India. At every opportunity, Narayan has been promoting the use of SER International’s Primer and Guidelines, supporting efforts to initiate restoration projects, and facilitating training and classes in ecological restoration. Recently, Dr. Andre Clewell, former SER International Chair, spent a very successful month in India traveling with Narayan throughout the Country addressing over 1,100 people through lectures and workshops on a variety of ecological restoration topics. Narayan and Andre are making a difference where it counts, on a local level, interacting one-on-one with local communities. It is people like Narayan and Andre, and I suspect like you, that are the real backbone of the ecological restoration movement.

While SER International may be reaching out on global level, we have not forgotten that it is the local level that ultimately supports and sustains the organization. In recognition of acting locally, thinking globally, the SER International Board is going through a process of rethinking its governance structure. At the recent biannual Board meeting in Miami this past March, the Board passed some sweeping governance reform measures that I believe will greatly facilitate our ability to offer memberships (an access to essential ecological restoration resources) to a much wider constituency, strengthen our relationships with chapters, and to provide mechanisms for government agencies and non-government organizations to become affiliated with SER International.

As of now, chapters may recruit members that do not need to be SER International members. Starting in 2006, these members will automatically be enrolled as "Associate Members" of SER International, but will be ineligible to vote in elections. SER International will provide an electronic copy of SER News to these members. The Board approved a new Board position of Chapter Representative who will be selected by the chapters at a chapter caucus during our next conference in Zaragoza, Spain this September. In 2006 we will change SER International's membership structure to a tiered structure with more benefits the more you pay, along with discounts for students, retirees and those residing in developing countries. We hope this will give everyone more opportunities to join at a level that is right to them, while allowing anyone to "step up" their membership commitment at any time. We are planning a series of visits to chapter leaders and/or a chapter summit to further explain these initiatives, to solicit feedback and to work out the details of a stronger, more mutual and beneficial relationship.

I believe that SER International is establishing a solid foundation for future growth on an international perspective, while staying true to our roots and strengthening our relationship, services and support to our members, chapters and now, affiliates. If you are like me, working at different scales can be a challenge, but it also can be very exhilarating and rewarding. Think globally, act locally!

Keith Bowers, Chair
Society for Ecological Restoration International
www.ser.org

Thoughts on Roads

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 3 Number 3
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.11/newsletter.htm

Thoughts on Roads

Like it or not, roads have become the arteries of our social and economic lives. Roads are necessary to transport goods and services to the marketplace, move people to and from their places of work, shopping, and social engagements, and serve as vital links to public health, safety and welfare.

Roads in the U.S. cover about 1% of the land area, an area equivalent to the state of South Carolina. It is estimated, however, that 20% of U.S. land area is directly affected ecologically by the road system. But in our quest to build roads to serve our burgeoning needs, biodiversity -- that is the total diversity and variability of living things and the systems of which they are a part of -- seems to have been left by the roadside. Like them or not, roads have a far reaching impact on biodiversity, both in terms of new construction and ongoing operations.

Typically when we think about roads and wildlife, the first thing that comes to mind is direct impacts to wildlife – road kill. It is estimated that in the U.S. approximately 1 million mammals are killed on roadways annually. If we consider insects, amphibians, birds and a host of other taxa, we are most likely looking at billions of species each year. In the United Kingdom, it is estimated that millions of birds and 20-40% of the UK’s breeding population of amphibians are believed to die each year on roads. Even the mere presence of a road can impact wildlife species. Dutch research for example, showed that out of 12 bird species examined, 7 exhibited reduced densities near roads than in similar habitats away from roads.

Roads are also responsible for changes in plant species composition, plant performance and soil nutrient levels along their right-of-ways. While direct impacts are important to consider, it is the indirect impact that may have the biggest effect on terrestrial, aquatic and avian species.

Fragmentation of habitat, water runoff pollution, air pollution, noise and artificial light pollution, along with the effects of spillages, litter and roadside management practices all can erode the quality of biodiversity and ecological integrity of the landscape.

While almost any form of road development will have some negative effect on the environment, there are many promising initiatives taking place throughout the world to reverse this trend. Many European countries are taking bold steps to initiate biodiversity action plans that address methods to reduce and mitigate road impacts on wildlife. These initiatives range from broad policy goals to preserve habitat connectivity (see Guiding Principles for Conducting Biodiversity Assessments for Road Projects) by promoting mass transportation projects and better land use planning, to specific mitigation techniques to allow wildlife movement across roads. Many U.S. transportation agencies are also beginning to incorporate both wildlife avoidance and mitigation strategies in road design.

In this issue of Leaf Litter, we highlight measures to protect, restore and mitigate wildlife habitat in relation to roads. We also interviewed Bethanie Walder, Executive Director of the Wildlands CPR. Wildlands CPR is becoming one of the leading authorities and sources of information on the ecological effects of roads and off-road vehicles.

Bethanie talks about some of the strategies being used to mitigate and restore ecosystems impacted by roads. Our Leaf Litter Survey on roads and their impacts to wildlife brought in some interesting comments, provocative thoughts and probing questions. Be sure to check it out. Finally, we have packed this issue of Leaf Litter with plenty of resources, information and links for you to take action. Remember the words of George Schultz: He who walks in the middle of the road gets hit from both sides.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Restoring the Future

Ecological Restoration
Vol. 23 Number 4
http://ecologicalrestoration.info/

Restoring the Future

Human actions are depleting Earth’s natural capital, putting such strain on the environment that the ability of the planet’s ecosystems to sustain future generations can no longer be taken for granted,” warns the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year study sponsored by the United Nations.

Over 1,300 scientists and researchers from more than 95 countries collaborated to assess 24 of the Earth’s primary ecosystems that support human survival. Their conclusions are both surprising and staggering. They concluded that the ongoing degradation of15 of the 24 ecosystems is substantial, with serious adverse effects on their capacity to support future human needs. Future threats include the emergence of new diseases, sudden changes in water quality, creation of “dead zones” in ocean shelf areas along coasts, the collapse of fisheries and climate change, and more.

The report goes on to suggest that, “The overriding conclusion of this assessment is that it lies with the power of human societies to ease the strains we are putting on the natural services of the planet, while continuing to use them to bring better living standards to all. Achieving this will require radical changes in the way nature is treated at every level of decision making”.
Soon after this report was published, Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus authored a report for the Environmental Grantmakers Association titled, “The Death of Environmentalism”. These authors argued that:

• No environmental leader is articulating a vision of the future commensurate with the magnitude of the crisis (in reference to climate change).
• Environmentalism is defined too narrowly, focused mostly on technological solutions to saving ‘things’, not people and jobs.
• Leaders of the environmental movement have failed to build robust political coalitions, articulate a coherent morality and figure out who we are and who we need to be.

Their conclusion is that environmentalism needs to die a timely death and be resurrected with a robust progressive movement with issues reframed to generate wider public acceptance.

While the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment report and the Death of Environmentalism point out both the magnitude of the problem and our ineffectiveness of dealing with these challenges, they don’t acknowledge the role that ecological restoration can play in reversing the tide.

If there ever was an environmental movement that is articulating a vision of the future commensurate with the magnitude of the crisis that will require radical changes in the way nature is treated at every level of decision making, that is poised to lead the environmental movement in a renewed spirit of a positive future, it is ecological restoration.

Ecological restoration is that of a better tomorrow, where ecological processes, functions and attributes are restored. It is a better, more promising future. While conservation plays a critical role in protecting the past, it is ecological restoration that restores the future.

I would argue that ecological restoration is inherently not focused on technological solutions, but rather is sustained and nurtured by people. Restoration is not a passive act, but rather an active choice, that requires people to interact with the earth and all of its life and splendor. Ecological restoration is about restoring people’s sense of place, sense of awe and sense of worth – through direct participation.

Ecological restoration is the key to the future. Through ecological restoration other pressing environmental and social causes can and will be addressed, including equity, security and prosperity.

Ecological restoration is the reframed environmental movement. By the vary nature of what we are all about, there is every reason to believe that we are perfectly poised to lead a resurrected environmental movement, how – by Restoring the Future. Most of all, ecological restoration is about ‘restoring our fate’.

Imagine the headlines of the next Millennium Ecosystem report, “The Future Restored!”

Keith Bowers, Chair
Society for Ecological Restoration International
www.ser.org

Thoughts on Earth Day

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 3 Number 2
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.09/newsletter.htm

Thoughts on Earth Day

Thirty-five years ago, Senator Gaylord Nelson conceived of the first Earth Day as a massive "teach-in" event to mobilize kids across the country to get involved with the environment. An astounding 20 million people participated in earth awareness activities on April 22, 1970. Today, Earth Day is observed by more than half a billion people around the world who want to promote a cleaner, healthier world for themselves and especially future generations. In the United States alone, this year there were nearly 12,000 grassroots events involving millions of people, feature articles, and tens of thousands of classrooms learning about environmental and health issues.

While these numbers are quite encouraging, there is still much to be done. The April/May issue of Mother Earth News, features an article by Denis Hayes, the national coordinator for that first Earth Day, which gives an overview of the history of Earth Day and issues a plea for readers "to unite in defense of our planet".

Denis describes how Earth Day, based in the science of ecology, was able to cross party lines and unite people across the country for a common purpose. He explains how two powerful but separate movements - the conservation movement, rooted mainly in hunting and fishing - and the environmental health movement, which concerned itself with the poisoning and pollution of the Earth by manmade chemicals - joined forces with a unified message that while America may have been growing wealthier, Americans were not necessarily better off as a result of this wealth.

The effects of that first Earth Day and successive Earth Days for years to come had a profound impact on political policy resulting in the formation of the world's first Environmental Protections Agency (EPA), the creation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the enactment of numerous laws to stop industry from further polluting the Earth. Over the next two decades, environmental awareness and action became part of the fabric of the American culture.

But all is not right with the world. Denis points out that sadly, in the last 10-15 years, much of the earth movement momentum has been lost to the fragmentation of various environmental coalitions and a growing disillusionment with regulatory agencies and their true effectiveness. In the political arena, the environment has taken a backseat to America's growing concern for health care and homeland security issues. It is for these reasons that Denis issues a call for us to unite, once again, in defense of our planet. While many of you may have rolled up your sleeves to participate in an Earth Day activity in your community, please don't let it stop there. There are endless opportunities year-round for each of us to improve the health of our Earth. Whether you actively volunteer to work with your local watershed association or educate yourself on important environmental issues by reading scientific journals, let's work to keep the environment at the top of the list of critical issues affecting our world. Let's make every day Earth Day.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Thoughts on Wolf Reintroduction & Ecosystem Restoration

Biohabitats’ Leaf Litter
Vol. 3 Number 1
http://www.biohabitats.com/ndg_newsite/newsletter/number.08/newsletter.htm


Thoughts on Wolf Reintroduction & Ecosystem Restoration

The wolf…the big bad wolf, has gone from being admired and even worshiped in ancient times to persecuted, poisoned, slaughtered and extirpated from most of the United States. Embedded into our nursery rhymes, folklore and psychic, the wolf is now teaching us valuable lessons about the roles top predators (keystone species) play in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. We now know that keystone species such as wolves, by virtue of the key roles they play in the overall structure and functioning of an ecosystem, are essential to its integrity. They play a critical role in defining the mosaic pattern of vegetation, energy and nutrient cycling and the life cycles of species associated with their habitats. If we are serious about conserving our natural heritage and restoring fully functioning ecosystems, then we must give careful consideration to keystone species. What better species to turn our attention to than the gray wolf (Canis lupus).

The gray wolf originally was found throughout the northern hemisphere in every habitat where large ungulates were found. From mid-Mexico and India to the North Pole, the wolf roamed areas as diverse as Israel and Greenland. As human settlements encroached on wolf habitat, encounters with wolves increased, especially with livestock. Firearms, poisons and traps were developed and used ruthlessly against wolves. In Eurasia, most wolves disappeared except in mountainous regions of Italy, northern Spain, Eastern Europe, as well as the northern parts of the former Soviet Union and the central plains and mountainous regions of Asia. In North America, wolf numbers declined until about the 1950's. Populations survived in Canada and Alaska, but the only area within the 48 contiguous United States that held a viable population of wolves was northern Minnesota and nearby Isle Royale National Park in Lake Superior.

Recognizing the importance of wolves and their interaction with the landscape, countries throughout the world are finding ways to coexist with this keystone species. In Spain, wolves live in wheat and sunflower fields with human densities of up to 200 people per square kilometer. In Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, the Mideast, and much of Asia, wolf numbers are stable or increasing. The World Wildlife Fund and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) took great interest in the wolf, and the animal was listed in IUCN's Red Data Book of endangered species.

In the United States many programs are being employed to repatriate wolves to some of their historic ranges. One of the leading scientists engaged in wolf reintroduction in the United States, Ed Bangs, speaks with Leaf Litter on efforts to reestablish a viable wolf population to the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Ed shares his thoughts and observations on how the wolf has reinitiated ecosystem processes that have been missing for the past 70 years. Speaking of sharing thoughts, responses to our Leaf Litter survey on wolves drew an overwhelming response. Many of you were not shy in sharing your opinion on what appears to be a lively and still very contentious issue.

In your next encounter with a predatory keystone species (before you start running), take stock of the profound significance these creatures have on the landscape. And remember, it takes a full suite of species to make our ecosystems, and psyche whole.

- Keith Bowers, Principal
Biohabitats, Inc.

Restoration as a Conservation Tool

Ecological Restoration
Vol. 23 Number 1
http://ecologicalrestoration.info/

Restoration as a Conservation Tool

As I write this column the tragic loss of life in the wake of the tidal wave that hit eleven countries across Asia and Africa are unfolding. This is especially relevant given that a delegation from SER International just returned from the 3rd World Conservation Congress in Bangkok, Thailand. SER International joins the world in mourning the loss of life and everyone that has been affected by one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent memory.

In November George Gann and David Lamb, co-chairs of the IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM) – SER International joint committee, along with myself, joined over 4,900 people from all across the globe to attend the Congress. And what an event it was. We joined 1,000 of the world’s leading scientists, over 200 business representatives, more than 40 Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Environment, Agriculture, Tourism and Fisheries, as well as hundreds of environmental activists, community and religious leaders.

SER International strengthened its ties to the IUCN – World Conservation Union and the global conservation community through several venues during the 10 day congress. Ecological restoration has been identified as one of the key areas of concentration for the CEM and the importance of its partnership with SER was highlighted throughout the meeting.

The World Conservation Congress included 2 days of CEM meetings in advance of the 3-day World Conservation Forum, and 5 days of the official IUCN member’s business assembly. George Gann tirelessly attended the entire event and officially represented SER International during the CEM meeting and the ICUN member’s business assembly.

In preparation for the Congress, David and George completed the first official version of a global rationale on ecological restoration, titled Ecological restoration: a means of conserving biodiversity and sustaining livelihoods. This document culminates work first initiated in preparation for the second SER-CEM workshop on ecological restoration held in Taman Negara, Malaysia in 2003. CEM printed 5,000 copies of this eight page document for distribution at the Congress. Additionally, SER International had the SER International primer on ecological restoration professionally published, which we also distributed at the meeting. Visit http://www.ser.org/ to download a copy of each of these documents.

During the forum, SER International led 4 presentations on ecological restoration and its role in conservation. George, David and I ran a highly successful workshop on ecological restoration illustrating more then a dozen case studies from around the world. We also ran three other events – a roundtable discussion on the role of ecological restoration in conservation, a roundtable on the restoration of watersheds, and we presented a conservation platform on the SER Primer. Although the Forum was highly competitive, our delegation was able to successfully reach out to a whole new constituency.

The final event was the meeting of the IUCN members. As head of delegation, George Gann attended this five day meeting representing SER, which has been a member of IUCN since 1996. The members meeting included several important elements: the election of officers, regional councilors, and commission chairs; the approval of the IUCN program for 2005-2008; and the approval of Congress resolutions and recommendations. For the first time, SER was able to exercise its voting rights at a World Conservation Congress.

Several issues from the business assembly are of particular note to SER International members. First, the need for ecological restoration, which was incorporated into the IUCN’s long term goals at the second World Conservation Congress in Amman, Jordan in 2000, was retained. In the 2005-2008 program, SER’s official definition of ecological restoration has been included in the glossary, thus becoming official doctrine of IUCN. The commission responsible for restoration in the IUCN program is the CEM, with whom SER has a formal working relationship. The 2005-2008 mandate for the CEM specifically mentions working with SER and other partners to “develop affordable, socially acceptable and scientifically sound restoration methods that can be applied at various levels in both developed and developing countries.”

SER International is also proud to announce that former SER Chair Nik Lopoukhine (1995-1997), who was instrumental in developing the formal relationship between SER and IUCN, was elected as chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas. This places Nik on the governing council of IUCN and the restoration agenda is sure to benefit.

While the event was very successful for both SER International and ecological restoration, it also brought to light that ecological restoration is still met with a great deal of skepticism in the global conservation community. I believe we can overcome this skepticism and demonstrate to the world that ecological restoration has a legitimate, in fact essential place in the conservation of natural resources.

Keith Bowers, Chair
Society for Ecological Restoration International
http://www.ser.org/