Emma Marris’s novel Rambunctious Gardens- Saving Nature in a Post-Wild World suggests the readers to see the nature through a different view. In the first chapter, Marris introduces here thesis and the current state of the ecologists and their conservation projects. One of the major goals of the ecologists is to return nature to its “baseline”. People strive for the most natural state of the ecosystems. The term “baseline” refers to a most basic state of nature. However, Marris argues that there is no way for the nature to be pristine. It means by that nature changes even without any human interference. So here is my question? What is the base or the standard for nature? Is there a real pristine nature? My answer is no. The nature has been changing from the beginning when there were no humans. The other aspect of nature such as animals and climates has evolved and changed each other. Yes, it is the humans that destroyed the nature and made problems. However, my point is that it is pointless for the humans trying to restore the damages. One of the past two articles states that the speed of nature’s restoration is unbelievably fast. Therefore, what human needs to do is not to disturb the nature while it restores. (Which seems like impossible at this state.)
Current conservation projects isolate the nature from the human society. The ecologist hopes for the protected area to return to its pristine state since there is no human contact with the land. However, the conservation project drives people away from the homes. Eliminating people from there traditional habitual area to protect lands seems hypocritical. Ecologists strive for the pristine nature, however, the protected area are basically man-made. Humans control everything inside the area. So, is protected natural area such as Grand Canyon and Yellow Stone Park pristine?
Later on in the chapters, Marris introduces the readers the idea of “rambunctious garden.” In rambunctious garden, humans and nature live together as one. Marris states are nature and ecosystem is everything between our very own backyards to the protected area. This statement criticizes current operation of conservation projects as it only focuses on the protected areas. What ecologists must realize is that it is important to protect nature that resides with human in the urban ecosystem. Therefore, the rambunctious garden is solution to the current problems of the ecosystem. Since there is no pristine or the baseline of nature, what we can to is to make sure the nature survives with the existence of humans.
