© 1999 Streamline Publications

Restoring natural diversity to the American landscape is a noble and laudable goal, but one which often hinges on manipulation of the unknown and, perhaps, the unknowable. Yet, there are those who care deeply about our environment and are willing to do the careful detective work needed to effect ecological remediation while dealing with widespread misconceptions.

Just as "pop" psychology tends to seek easy answers to the human condition, so too does "pop" environmentalism seek simple solutions. The "favorite cause" approach to the natural environment very often focuses on a single aspect—old growth trees or fur seals or individual animal or plant species. Too often, massive energy, money and political will is expended on narrow focus issues.

A Smart Approach

Now, efforts by both government departments, universities and private citizens are increasingly broad, taking into account that nature's complexity resists the quick, unenlightened fix. Organizations such as the Society for Ecological Restoration, California Chapter (SERCAL) have approached the challenge one acre at a time and from the aspect that a more complete understanding of the ecology should necessarily precede—and control—corrective actions. Unintended and detrimental effects of precipitous or naive solutions often exacerbate, rather than cure, the problem.

For ecological restoration to be effective it takes more than just planting a seed or protecting a threatened plant. Research and training are prerequisites for dealing with degraded ecological systems. Distinctions between nature and culture; the natural and the artificial, can be awkward. Before restoration is possible, recognition of what once was the specific ecology of a given site is paramount.

Change in the natural world—with or without human influence—is constant but rates of change vary. Interdependence of native plants and animals, soils and climate, complicate understanding. Natural phenomena such as weather and earthquakes play a role in the evolution of site ecology. Human populations impact the land through timbering, mining, farming, urbanization. Add the influence of nonnative species—whether benign or invasive—and the confusion intensifies. Passage of time and natural migration of organisms on the winds, ocean currents or hitchhiking on animals and birds, further obscures the picture. Decisions are needed over which era represents the native conditions that are to be achieved—a year ago, fifty years ago, or before human influence? Identifying an achievable restoration goal approaches the difficulty inherent in reaching that goal.

Vigilance and Care

There is an increasing recognition that restoration will have to involve much more than one-shot projects, that long-term stewardship of the land is needed if any lasting benefit is to be expected.

Cultural changes will be needed to develop broad societal appreciation for the problem and to develop the human resources needed to deal with it.

To this end, SERCAL plans to establish five or more one-acre sites from San Francisco to the Sierra foothills. The sites will undergo study by naturalists and others. They will gather data that will allow plant diversity maps of each site to be developed. The maps will identify ecological restoration needs based on these data collections and existing knowledge of ecology and horticulture.

According to SERCAL President, Dave Self, writing in the chapter's Fall `98 newsletter, Ecesis, "The One-Acre system can be likened to a loom—with it we can systematically gather, organize and, hopefully, reweave the frayed and broken threads linking natural diversity and cultural richness back into a rich and enriching tapestry."

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