Alternative solutions to maintaining the pristine wilderness have been proposed by Marris such as rewilding and the expansion of rambunctious gardens, and in this chapter she introduces this concept of assisted migration. This concept is ultimately the human movement of species to locations that are more suitable for their growth than their current location because of the increase in climate change. Many conservationists are taking this radical approach to save these organisms because otherwise these species would go extinct. However while this approach is meant to be proactive, it is far too radical, expensive, risky that may cause more harm than benefit.
It is safe to say that the global temperature is increasing, and Marris accounts that as Anthropogenic climate change. She believes that climate change is the “biggest single thumbprint humans have put on this planet,” because of the “anthropogenic emissions of gasses including carbon dioxide… hydrofluorocarbons” (74.) This change in temperature has resulted in the movement of species further north, and potentially this could resulting in entire ecosystems shifting upward to sustain themselves, however the issue is that many of these species won’t be able to make it upward in time and in the process will go extinct. Ecologists feel that we need to take proactive action and help move these species move to more suitable locations so they can continue to exist.
In chapter 5, Marris brings up this interesting paradox of “the pristine myth and the myth of a correct baseline for each area” (77.) This brings up the point that if we want to maintain a pristine wilderness than with this climate change, species must be shifted, however if we are using baseline conservation then no species can be moved. Going a long with this paradox, even though assisted migration might be an alternative to the two theories mentioned above it doesn’t makes sense to “intervene on [natures] behalf,” (81) simply because “the benefits of translocation outweigh the biological and socioeconomic costs” (82.) When Marris explains how ecologist Hellmann would go about to preserve the Gary Oaks Ecosystem in California the process itself shows both how much work, time, money is put into it without much certainty if the project will be a success. In order for this process to follow through it would take “years of logical management,” Hellmann has to get “grant money” if she has the persuasion ability to “beat out her rivals, ” after which “she has to set up a local headquarters, “recruit a team” and then after that do all this research through “satellite photos and a tour of the island” (86.) After she collects and analyzes her data, then she may receive fruits for her labor upon moving the trees, or it may swing in another direction and be a complete failure. On top of that there is also a likelihood the Gary Oaks Ecosystem may transform in an invasive species and cause more harm when moved.
Ultimately this concept of assisted migration doesn’t seem feasible for every species, but perhaps is a likely solution to trees that are in danger and are of socioeconomic advantage such as timber. This conservation technique may also be used in the Urban Forest, by migrating some species to urban areas where the ecological conditions are suitable. However it is wrong for humans to intervene in saving ecosystems by completely shifting them based on predictions and forecasts, just so that aesthetically speaking our nature remains the same.
