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Ecological and Biocultural Restoration Working Group

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ECOLOGICAL AND BIOCULTURAL RESTORATION  |    Global Change Center

Ecological restoration, the process of assisting the recovery of damaged ecosystems, is central to the vision of a sustainable global future. Restoration has immense potential to mitigate climate change, prevent mass extinction, and provide the ecosystem services that societies require, but to realize its full potential restoration must also engage and elevate human communities. Biocultural restoration is an approach that seeks to integrate the recovery of ecological integrity with the revitalization of cultural practices, knowledge systems, and human relationships with the landscape. No form of restoration is an adequate substitute for eliminating greenhouse gas emissions and halting the destruction of intact habitats. Delivering on restoration's promise and avoiding perverse outcomes requires critical thinking and training across disciplinary silos.

The Ecological and Biocultural Restoration Team is an interdisciplinary group of faculty and students reading, thinking, teaching, and researching about the most effective and equitable strategies for restoring biodiversity and culture locally, regionally, and globally.

 

 

KEY ACTIVITIES

Reading and discussion group focusing on new restoration research, interdisciplinary perspectives on restoration, and research proposal development (every other week).

 

CORE MEMBERSHIP

Shannon Bell

Sociology

 

Cully Hession

Biological Systems Engineering

 

Lisa Kennedy

Geography

 

Rachel Reid

Geosciences

 

Stella Schons do Valle

Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation

 

Tess Thompson

Biological Systems Engineering

 

Sally Entrekin

Entomology

 

Erich Hester

Civil & Environmental Engineering

 

J. Leighton Reid

Plant and Environmental Sciences

 

Haldre Rogers

Fish and Wildlife Conservation

 

Jessica Taylor

History

 

Jeff Walters

Biological Sciences

 

Tropical Restoration Site in Ecuador
Tropical forest restoration site in northwestern Ecuador.
Tropical Restoration Site in Ecuador
Riparian forest restoration along Stroubles Creek at the StREAM Lab.
Tropical Restoration Site in Ecuador
Technician Abbie Dwire setting up an acoustic recording unit for monitoring birds in grassland restoration sites at Rappahannock National Wildlife Refuge.
Tropical Restoration Site in Ecuador
Dr. Reid on a field trip at the Fincastle burn unit.
Tropical Restoration Site in Ecuador
Restored woodland at Mt. Joy pond.
Tropical Restoration Site in Ecuador
Students working on Stroubles Creek restoration.
J Leighton Reed

INTERESTED IN THE ECOLOGICAL AND BIOCULTURAL RESTORATION WORKING GROUP? 

CONTACT

J LEIGHTON REID {jlreid@vt.edu}  

 

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