Tell me more about the ecoregen approach
Ecoregen.org History - it was a great site. Here is a small part of it so all of that great work is not lost!
Tell me more about the ecoregen approach
The ecoregen approach to land restoration is built on two guiding principles:
- Local people should be involved in decisions made about land in their neighbourhood
- Nature is often the best and most cost-effective ‘healer’ of derelict land
These two principles need to be balanced if land is to be restored in a way which promotes sustainable development — bringing together social, economic and environmental benefits.
Striking the balance
If left alone for ‘nature to take its course’ many derelict sites develop into rich and diverse habitats. However, this could take decades and in some circumstances natural decline or the frustration of the local community might make things worse rather than better.
Local authorities or landowners often have plans for redeveloping derelict sites into housing or commercial premises but this is not always practical or sensible and is frequently unpopular with existing residents. There is also a lot of derelict land which will never be suitable for this kind of development because of the nature of the space or the ground conditions.
In the same way the local community may have ideas for new facilities which would bring benefits in the short term but could be difficult or costly to maintain and don’t make the most of what is already there.
The ecoregen approach seeks to use the natural potential of sites to deliver facilities which meet the needs of the local community. It aims to create sustainable environments suitable for human enjoyment and nature conservation.
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