ABSTRACT
Parallels for the environmental situation in southern Iraq have been sought for and voiced by several scientists within the international community. Usually these case studies have been proposed based on what is perceived to be either a hydrological (e.g., the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam) or restoration scale (e.g., the Everglades in Florida) similar to that in Iraq. Indeed, Iraqi scientists have even been taken on tours of the latter site to better prepare them for undertaking their important work upon returning home. Restorative redevelopment, however, such as that taking place within Iraq, is really a form of what might be called “regenerative landscape design” (sensu France 2008), and therefore has as much to do about rebuilding human communities as it does about rebuilding ecological ones (Nicholson and Clark 2002; France 2007). In this regard, I would like to suggest that there are historical and
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 173 Pantanos de Centla ................................................................................................. 174
History and Description .................................................................................... 174 Environmental Threats ...................................................................................... 175 Park Management .............................................................................................. 175 Nature Center .................................................................................................... 180
Xochimilco ............................................................................................................. 184 History and Description .................................................................................... 184 Destruction ........................................................................................................ 191 Cultural Signicance ......................................................................................... 191 Environmental Restoration and Regeneration of Natural Capital ..................... 192 Ecological and Recreational Parks .................................................................... 197
Lessons for the Iraqi Marshlands ...........................................................................206 Pantanos de Centla ............................................................................................206 Xochimilco ........................................................................................................206
