Regenerating the Ecology of Place

Regenerating the Ecology of Place helps students better understand that industrial agriculture and natural resource extraction are degrading our environment. The text posits that we must go beyond sustainability and focus on regeneration of our local ecosystems to rehabilitate our environment and reverse climate change. Students are encouraged to develop an understanding of the local ecology of the place they live and act on that knowledge, developing new ways to interact with living systems on the planet.

The opening chapter introduces students to key concepts of ecology, helping them develop the language needed to better understand our impact on ecosystems and the various cycles of energy, water, and nutrients that are basic building blocks of living systems. Additional chapters address what not to do in support of regeneration efforts, speak to how agriculture must change to reduce its impact on our environment, define permaculture, and introduce strategies to reduce personal and global footprints and shrink the misuse of water. Students will learn about reintegrating manure in nutrient cycles, get an introduction to agroecology including the System of Rice Intensification, and develop their understanding of the problem with GMOs. The last chapters focus on returning carbon dioxide to the soil and adding biochar, why handling brittle landscapes is important, and more about tree crops and the benefits of agroforestry.