Landscape Restoration Techniques
There's a global movement toward forest landscape restoration, but that doesn't mean those of us who live in cities already developed don't have a role to play. There are some easy steps anyone can take to do their part.
Local Legislation Recently Congress began to take a deeper look at landscape restoration. The Forest Landscape Restoration Act of 2008 has been introduced and will later be voted on. The act would create a department within the government to study techniques, put together plans and carry out restoration in specific areas. And don't worry too much about your tax dollars -- the estimated cost is less than $2 per American over five years [source: GovTrack]. |
Some of the simpler solutions to keep in mind involve problem-solving and logic you learned in childhood. Just share and recycle. An example would be two office buildings neighboring each other sharing a common parking lot. It's beneficial for the landowners and the Earth. By constructing a lot that's space efficient, not only are the owners able to split the costs, but less land is disturbed and destroyed.
Another option is to not just recycle, but make an effort to use products that have been recycled during production. When building new property, there are plenty of recycled materials out there for you to use.
A new trend growing in functionality is smart growth. This is the concept of slowing suburban growth by developing and fixing up communities or properties that already exist as opposed to moving to previously uninhabited areas [source: Russ]. Local governments have been doing their part by exerting tax dollars to do just that. Find areas that are already equipped with utilities and access to roads and build them up. It's environmentally friendly and a successful step toward preserving land.
Ghandi said, "Be the change you want to see in the world." Doing your part through landscape restoration is one small step you can take to be that change.
