Emma Marris lays out her argument clearly from the first paragraph of Rambunctious Garden: Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World “We have also lost nature in another sense. We have misplaced it. We have hidden nature from ourselves” (Marris). While the “carefully managed national parks and vast boreal forest and uninhabited arctic” (Marris) belong to nature, New Yorkers take for granted the man-made surroundings of the city and the “invasive” pests. These quotidian sights certainly fit in the umbrella term of nature as much as the next wilderness. As comprehensive as nature can be, it can no longer be “pristine” (Marris).
Much of the ruin and decay can be attributed to the human expansion. The effect of human development upon the earth cannot be ignored. Humans bend the environment to their will and in the process affect ecosystems around them. For example, “bobcat families move into foreclosed homes”, “Yellowstone moose birth calves” near human activity, and songbird reach “full throat to car alarm sequences” (Marris). Marris does not appear to be shocked by the adaptation amongst wildlife. Humans recognize the extent of their effect include “climate change, species movements, and large-scale transformations of land” (Marris). The next step would be to realize our role in this new ecosystem then take action by conserving the wilderness and even transplanting it to cities. Conservationists strive to achieve a harmony between lost wilderness and current ecosystems. To “find beauty in nature, even if signs of humanity are present”(Marris) would be my goal.
Conservationists work towards returning to a baseline within an area. Restoration falls under our ethical responsibility because “we broke it; therefore we must fix it” (Marris). Leaving the area better than its existing condition would improve the ecosystem. First, conservationists revisit a baseline. Then, an area undergoes a transformation by recreating water bodies, replacing species, and reconstructing habitats. What is important to note is that this ecosystem is nature despite being man-made. Nature constantly changes, even without human hands.
Marris’ definition of nature shatters preconceived notions of nature in mainstream media. I occasionally daydream because of my wanderlust for lush forests and distant wilderness. This “nature” no longer matches the current definition. I can appreciate her point that nature is omnipresent and the future lies in restoring as many baseline features in our ecosystems, be they urban or rural. Our heavy human hands have pummeled our dreams of a “virgin wilderness” and perhaps it might be the best to recreate bits and pieces of an earlier ecosystem within our modern city. My favorite example of this ideology being put into practice exists in Chelsea, Manhattan. The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street all the way up to the West 40’s. Real estate development companies reconstructed this dilapidated elevated railway track into an urban park filled with a diverse species of native and non-native wildlife. I can come to terms with this kind of unobtrusive nature that does not mirror the wilderness but embraces it.
