The field of Restoration Ecology began to develop and
formalize at about the same time as Environmental Aesthetics. Like
Environmental Aesthetics, Restoration Ecology developed organizations,
recruited members, established journals, and held conferences, and still does.
As an ecologist, I became involved with Restoration Ecology during those years
I worked on urban greening and habitat restoration projects. Although my
professional work has shifted, I’ve kept track of the restoration folks.
For example, some interesting restoration is underway with
the Los Angeles River in Southern California. From 1914 to 1938 a number of
floods caused much devastation and substantial death along the river. In response, in
1940 the US Army Corps of Engineers began to channelize the river pulling it
between concrete walls.
Shortly after work began, in 1941 I was born in Los Angeles
and for all of my young life frequently drove back and forth across the
concrete channel…from homeplace to grandparental place…from the university
where I worked to the one where I studied…and finally taking girlfriends to the
beautiful beaches (I married one of those lovely California girls 54 years
ago). I’ve watched many films with the
cops chasing the cons up and down the concrete channel…actor Arnold
Schwarzenegger struggling to save humanity from future machines and, most
recently in Fear the Walking Dead as a zombie apocalypse overwhelms Los
Angeles.
I’m now very pleased to see the work underway to restore the
Los Angeles River. And while some may find aesthetic pleasure in
a concrete channel I think most of us would rather see rocky rapids, islands of
emergent vegetation, and wildlife fill the channel.
Several of us have formed an Environmental Aesthetics Study Group. Membership is free and by invitation. For an invitation contact springmountain1@att.net.
