In Ch 8 and 9 of Rambunctious Garden, Emma Marris introduces the idea of designer ecosystems. Different from restoration and searching for pristine wilderness, creating designer ecosystems is an approach that aims to achieve a particular goal for an ecosystem/population by using a combination of different techniques such as rewilding and assisted migration. Marris also delves further into conservation efforts and discusses how it can be implemented anywhere in any conditions by using designer ecosystems and other various techniques.
In my opinion the idea of designer ecosystems– to restore a lost function or finding an equivalent cost efficient solution seems both practical and feasible. The concept mirrors the scientific process, there is a set goal, limiting parameters, etc. that an ecologist has to work around to engineer a system which achieves that goal. The approach does not necessarily look for baselines and can be implemented almost anywhere. As a result, land, funding and resources are not wasted, while the goal is still being fulfilled. For example, instead of creating a new habitat or eliminating invasive predators, ecologists drill additional nesting holes in Galapagos to decrease the rate of mortality among penguin eggs. The solution is cost efficient and accomplishes the goal. Designer ecosystems do accomplish the ecological goals of a particular landscape, however it is often criticized as being unnatural and not necessarily wilderness. Some may even consider it to be a desperate effort to limit the human impact on nature, which will ultimately eliminate anything that is truly wild and untamed. Nevertheless, in my opinion it is both feasible and cost efficient. It accomplishes the desired goal and since the cost of failure is low, multiple hypotheses can be applied and tested.
Ch 9, as suggested by the title, “conservation everywhere” primarily deals with the idea of creating everyday places into rambunctious gardens, and using a mix of various unorthodox conservation techniques and implementing it everywhere around us. Whether it maybe be rivers, farms, backyards and rooftops. The idea is to gradually add as much natural areas to increase the species diversity and prevent extinction.
I agree with the ideas presented by Marris in both the chapters, and believe that nature is not a place far away, but all around us. Creating rambunctious gardens can only help and is far more practical than restoring baselines.
