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North Central Research Station News Release For Immediate Release: October 11, 2000 The Human Side of Restoring Nature ST. PAUL, Minn. - Environmental restoration is about more than plants and animals. In a newly released book, Restoring Nature: Perspectives from the Social Sciences and Humanities, researchers explore the realm of human-nature interactions, of differing values and understandings about nature, and how that information can be effectively used to guide science and policy. The book originated in 1996, during a Chicago controversy that led to moratoriums on restoration activities in 2 counties and a lawsuit to halt a major restoration demonstration project. The protests also served as a catalyst for the first concerted effort to examine the human aspects of environmental restoration. "Restoring Nature was the natural outgrowth of the 1998 symposium to review the state of the art," stated Paul Gobster, co-editor and North Central Research Station scientist. "We began to see common threads among session participants working in diverse environments, from urban areas like Chicago to remote wilderness areas in the East and West," he continued. Co-editor Bruce Hull from Virginia Tech added, "environmental management is increasingly as much a human element as it is an ecological or technical one." Contributors examine: * moral and ethical questions regarding the practice of restoration * conflicts over how nature is defined and who should be included in decisions about restoration and management * how restoration projects can succeed given the various constraints and considerations that need to be taken into account * how those involved in restoration play a critical role in sustaining projects over time Using diverse examples from projects across the U.S., the book suggests ways in which restoration conflicts might be resolved, and provides examples of stewardship that show how volunteers and local residents can help make and maintain restored environments. Throughout, contributors set forth a wealth of ideas, case studies, methodological approaches, and disciplinary perspectives that shed valuable light on the social underpinnings of ecological restoration and natural resource management. Ecological restoration is an inherently challenging endeavor. Not only is its underlying science still developing, but the concept itself raises complex questions about nature, culture, and the role of humans in the landscape. The 321-page book is published by Island Press, and is available in cloth ($50) and paperback ($25) editions. You can order by phone at 1-800-828-1302 or via the web at http://www.islandpress.org/books/ About the Authors Paul H. Gobster is Research Social Scientist with the USDA Forest Service, North Central Research Station in Chicago, Illinois. He may be reached by phone at 847-866-9311 ext. 16 or email at pgobster@fs.fed.us. R. Bruce Hull is Associate Professor of Forestry in the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. He may be reached by phone at 1 540-231-7272 or email at hullrb@vt.edu. Additional Contributors include: Susan C. Barro, USDA Forest Service, North Central
Research Station-Chicago ---NCRS 2000--- |
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