Why is ecology being marginalized or totally left out of the discussion of sustainability? How can we even think about sustainability without thinking about and incorporating ecological carrying capacity, ecological processes, landscape ecology, conservation biology and biodiversity in land development projects, resource extraction and infrastructure improvements? A LEED© or Living Building Challenge project built with little or no regard to these factors is not sustainable and never will be. Pretty soon we will have a bunch of ‘sustainable’ buildings in a sterile landscape where crows, rats, cockroaches and Kentucky bluegrass reign supreme, all the while bemoaning the fact that we have lost 90% of life on earth and have no idea how that happened. Sound rigorous science needs to be fully incorporated into land development projects. Time to wake up!
Further Reading
Get to know Water Resources Engineer Jake RadeffMeet Conservation Biologist Nolan Schillerstrom
Get to know Allyson Gibson, Biohabitats Extern
Get to Know Graphic Designer Joey Marshall
Evolution: A New Leadership Team for Biohabitats
More From This Author
Looking Back to Move Forward – Celebrating Ecological RestorationLet’s end the use of peat moss in ecological restoration and green infrastructure projects
Restoring the Future
Landscape Restoration in North Korea
Integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge & Western Science