Discussion of Evaluation of Urban Ecological Restoration Projects
Presenters
Arlene Hopkins, Arlene Hopkins & Associates
Abstract
WHAT: Ecological Restoration is the science and practice of recovering and restoring ecological systems to be functional, self-organizing and self-sustaining. Ecological Restoration is an important means to reverse the destructive impacts of shortsighted land use and land management practices that destroy or degrade living soils, watershed systems and habitat. Ecological Restoration can result in habitat and biodiversity recovery, which in turn can result in halting, if not reversing, life-threatening climate change trends. WORKSHOP / TRAINING: After an introductory overview, workshop / training focus will be on evaluation standards, metrics and practices within the emerging subfield of “Ecological Restoration.” Some of the technical material will derive from the 2011 conference of the California Society for Ecological Restoration. (www.SERCAL.org). WHO: Evaluators interested in environmental issues will benefit from learning more about Ecological Restoration. Ecological Restoration will be applicable to independent consulting evaluation, international and cross-cultural evaluation, government evaluation, research on evaluation, advocacy and policy change evaluation, costs effectiveness benefits and economics evaluation, and environmental program evaluation, among others.
