Reanimating the Landscape

Abstract

‘Reanimating the landscape’ recounts inspiring community-based projects across the developing world where restoration of degraded landscapes has regenerated ecosystems and human livelihoods in positively reinforcing cycles. Parallels are drawn with emerging developed world approaches to restoration of catchment functioning for pollution control, water resource protection, and flood management in increasingly nature-based ways. Examples from across the world illuminate how ecosystem restoration is protecting and increasing human security, economic benefits and opportunity, highlighting the importance of investment in the natural infrastructure essential for securing human wellbeing. However, significant difficulties are inherent in navigating a transition to a broader, systemic paradigm of greater net societal benefit and security, threatening as it may appear to established reductive norms and their associated vested interests.