Habitat restoration, in the traditional sense, involves the rehabilitation of ecosystems in areas disturbed by human activity. The focus is often on recreating habitat capable of supporting native animal populations.
Too often we think of wilderness as something separate from ourselves, a place that animals need to survive. Rarely do we stop to consider that, for much of human history, we too were part of the natural world. The wilderness was our home. In our quest to survive and grow, we have effectively removed ourselves from our native habitat.
Yet, humans find peace in wild places.
The stillness of places like Big Bend or Petrified Forest is something you can carry with you.
Gaze upon a coast redwood, and the feeling of inconsequence against the backdrop of time remains present in the mind.
These experiences have the power to change our relationship with both time and the natural world.
Visiting the wilderness is restorative. We need to ensure these places are available for generations to come.
What is Human Habitat Restoration?
Human Habitat Restoration is a phrase coined by Beartooth Anthony founder Patrick Hedlund.
The language aims to stress the importance of wild places for our well-being, both as individuals and as a species.
In practice, human habitat restoration involves increasing public access to wildlands, and the restoration of native plants and animals in areas that have been damaged by human activity.
Why is Public Access to Wilderness Important?
The benefits of spending time outdoors is well documented.
Technology and human lifestyle have advanced at a far greater rate than our biology can progress.
Humans did not evolve to sit in front of screens. We are poorly adapted to much of the available work and entertainment options in our information based economy.
As a species, we have lost our connection to the natural world, and no longer receive the benefits of a life spent outdoors.
This separation from our native environment has had a deleterious effect on our mental health.
Nearly half of the US population takes medication for depression or anxiety.
Time spent outdoors has been proven to ease the symptoms of these conditions.
Lack of public access to wild places, and little to no time spent outdoors, is a source of malaise felt by so many in today’s society.
As a species, it is in our best interest to cultivate and maintain a culture that values wilderness.
Experiencing true wilderness is critical to our well-being. It connects us to the land, and lets us feel what it means to exist as part of a larger system. It illuminates something within us, bringing to light that which is quickly vanishing from this earth, the purest form of human experience.
How do we Restore Human Habitat?
We need to balance our current usage of natural resources with our current, and future, need for natural habitat.
The easiest step toward restoring human habitat is to claim and protect our remaining public wildlands. These lands belong to all off us, especially to the young and future residents of planet earth.
Dedicate Your Time to Restoring Human Habitat
- Advocate for the protection of public lands
- Replant trees and vegetation in areas adversely affected by human activity
- Build trails so humans have access to immerse themselves in nature
Donate Money to Human Habitat Restoration
- National Park Foundation
- Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
- The Nature Conservancy
- Save the Redwoods League
Start a Conversation
Take action in your community, start a conversation about the value of restoring human habitat. To affect cultural change, we need to discuss these issues, and identify opportunities to restore and increase public access to wilderness areas.
