Our Once and Future Planet: Restoring the World in the Climate Change Century

by Paddy Woodworth

The environmental movement is plagued by pessimism. And that’s not with so many complicated, seemingly intractable problems facing the planet, coupled with a need to convince people of the dangers we face, it’s hard not to focus on the negative

But that paints an unbalanced—and overly disheartening—picture of what’s going on with environmental stewardship today. There are success stories, and Our Once and Future Planet delivers a fascinating account of one of the most impressive areas of current environmental experimentation and ecological restoration. Veteran investigative reporter Paddy Woodworth has spent years traveling the globe and talking with people—scientists, politicians, and ordinary citizens—who are working on the front lines of the battle against environmental degradation. At sites ranging from Mexico to New Zealand and Chicago to Cape Town, Woodworth shows us the striking successes (and a few humbling failures) of groups that are attempting to use cutting-edge science to restore blighted, polluted, and otherwise troubled landscapes to states of ecological health—and, in some of the most controversial cases, to particular moments in historical time, before widespread human intervention. His firsthand field reports and interviews with participants reveal the promise, power, and limitations of restoration.

Ecological restoration alone won’t solve the myriad problems facing our environment. But Our Once and Future Planet demonstrates the role it can play, and the hope, inspiration, and new knowledge that can come from saving even one small patch of earth.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Environment, Nature, Ecology, Natural History

515 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Long as hell. Too much about the personalities in this movement, not enough about the ideas and the science.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rather lengthy coverage on efforts at restoring ecosystems in different parts of the world, and an attempt to tie them all in describing the relatively new discipline and its concepts. I focused only on examples from the tropics, which was more relevant for where I am, skipping case studies of Ireland, New Zealand and colder climes. One might think that merely allowing nature to take its course in tropical areas without intervention would do the trick, but there are nuances and challenges, and I learnt a few strategies in this regard, which was rewarding in itself.

The chapters devoted to discussing overall concepts and philosophies of the movement were a mixed bag. Woodworth has a tendency to be overly verbose in his arguments, going back and forth between different and opposing ideals and personalities involved. Although the writing may not always be coherent in tying everything together, it did convey the sense of excitement that ecological restoration entails and the much needed inspiration it can spark in conserving nature overall. To be able to take action for some positive change in our collective future is a powerful idea and I hope to contribute in some way to bring back what we have lost.

[Elizabeth Gallagher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those who see the environment only as a resource to be managed, developed and consumed and..
Those who see human intervention in the environment only as desecration and damage

[MaryJo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has been on my list for a while. I met Paddy Woodworth a couple of times when he was in the US on a book tour for this book, and I was becoming more interested in the debates about what it meant to plant "natives" or reintroduce animals to locals they no longer inhabited. It fit well with some of the other things I have been reading, and this seemed like the time to read it. It is long, packed with information, and the story it tells is complicated. Unlike Judith Schwartz's The Reindeer Chronicles: And Other Inspiring Stories of Working with Nature to Heal the Earth, the projects that Paddy Woodworth examines do not have clear cut results. It is also possible that he is more interested in teasing out the contradictions and difficulties in this work. Many of the projects, but not all, the projects he discusses are large in scope and involve government or corporate sponsorship. Wood worth is interested in the organizations that carry out this kind of work, and potential conflicts between founding charismatic leaders, and others in the organization. He also documents conflicts between the environmentalists and local people who have a stake in the land. This can vary from individuals who are attached to non-native plants that the restorers are intent on eliminating (Chicago), to . . . A favorite chapter was the one on New Zealand, where restoration require the trapping and shooting

[James Hemby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice, readable introduction to ecological restoration. Well cited and replete with examples to illustrate ecological concepts and philosophical disagreements.