Abstract
Focusing on the Southwest but raising questions that are more broadly applicable, we compare ecological restoration with conventional management regimes -- multiple-use management, ecosystem management, and managing for specific resourse objectives. That restoration assumes a holistic prespective and active intervention does not distinguish it from other approaches to achieving ecosystem health. We find that foresters and restorationists both use ecology, but restorationists use a reference condition as a substitute for specific objectives. We believe that restorationists who advocate substituting a reference condition for meeting a priori objectives must demonstrate the advantage of this approach. We identify the conceptual limitations to ecological restoration and question the uses of restoration.
Keywords
ecological restoration,
multiple-use management,
ecosystem management,
specific resourse objectives,
reference condition
Citation
Wagner, Michael R.; Block, William M.; Geils, Brian W.; Wenger, Karl F. 2000. Restoration ecology: A new forest management paradigm, or another merit badge for foresters?. Journal of Forestry. 98(10): 22-27