How can we address the problems with our environment? What strategies are best for all parties involved? Emma Marris tries to provide the reader of Rambunctious Garden with answers. The simple answer is that in order to have well serving ecosystems all parties (owners, managers, and government) need to come up with common goals. Marris goes on to list seven goals we must keep in mind as we go forward.
Goal one is to protect the rights of other species by realizing what Nauss calls “deep ecology” and connecting that to the intrinsic value of nature. The main view is that humans must reduce their intensive impact on the Earth. This view can be seen in two ways: 1. Letting a species live and survive on its own, 2. Buying ammunition so that a certain species will not eliminate other loved species.
The second goal Marris points out is protecting charismatic megafauna. These are the beautiful wild animals that we have come to love by viewing the Discovery Channel and going to zoos. The World Wildlife Federation has held responsibility in this field. Animals we are aiming to protect include whales, dolphins, gorillas, tigers, and pandas. One large population that is under the threat of poaching is the African Elephant. In fact, the only place where the elephant is not threatened is in South Africa. Ironically the population is getting so large that the organization has resumed culling the largest land mammals.
Goals 3, 4, and 5, deal with slowing the rate of extinction, protecting genetic identity, and creating biodiversity. One of the greatest pieces of environmental legislation is the Endangered Species Act of 1996. This piece of law has protected numerous species by placing them on that list and this leads to certain problems. Specific species are incorrectly classified under genus, therefore are never even considered an endangered species, even though they might be. Scientists can share the blame because they have failed to identify certain species.
Maximizing ecologic services and protecting the spiritual and aesthetic experiences is what sums up the goals for Marris. She brings up the Sandhill crane on the Platte River in Nebraska. Every March these cranes land in the river and spend some time before heading up north to Canada. Due to industry, however, the river has been altered in many ways and humans have had to use heavy machinery to clear space for these marvelous birds. Through human intervention the cranes have made a positive impact on the ecosystem.
All these goals may seem unrealistic to any person who does not care about the environment. Many Americans go through their day without thinking about these things. Marris realizes that and says that the only way for change to come about is if parties involved make complex compromises. One key aspect is keeping green, open land undeveloped. A great example to follow is the Hawaiian Ahupua’a. We need certain wedges in our environment to be restored to the peak of human use and even restored to the era of early European contact. We need a rambuncious garden.
