Conserving Nature Fewer Laws, More Science

About this book

Using the vast natural ecosystems of Queensland, Australia – from the arid inland to the Great Barrier Reef – as illustrative focus, Conserving Nature offers insights evolved from decades of scientific research and first-hand knowledge of the needs (as well as challenges) of advancing sustainable land management, all premised on collaborative ecological design. The author provides broad principles – imperatives of collaboration, scale, science, flexibility, the power of narrative, and more – but goes beyond principles to practice by drawing on protracted field case examples to move beyond the theoretical to the practical. His themes are pertinent – for example, the shortcomings of legislation, the unintended consequences of action springing from media campaigns that invariably overlook complexities and drive short-term action rather than informed long-term strategic planning, plus the importance of scale and at the same time local action. Though centered on the landscapes and peoples of Queensland, the insights are relevant for conservation efforts across the globe.

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