Rehabilitating damaged ecosystems

Description

Rehabilitating damaged ecosystems involves restoring the structure, function, and biodiversity of environments degraded by human activity or natural disasters. This strategy focuses on practical actions such as replanting native vegetation, removing invasive species, remediating polluted soils and waters, and reintroducing key wildlife. The primary intent is to recover ecological balance, enhance resilience, and enable sustainable use, thereby remedying habitat loss, soil erosion, water contamination, and declining ecosystem services.

Context

Ecosystems which are threatened by overharvesting and/or overwhelmed by more wastes than can be absorbed lose resilience (ie. the ability to absorb shocks and disturbances) and may suddenly break down and/or settle into a different system with less reilience. There are thresholds at which the levels of stress will lead to the disruption of the system. One concept used to understand critical limits and thresholds is carrying capacity which assumes that there are a finite number of people who can be supported without degrading the natural environment.

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.