ABSTRACT
Working off-reserve in production landscapes, ecologists (and others) must engage with a wider peer community than the colleagues and ecosystem managers encountered in reserved landscapes. Traditionally, the only moral philosophy democracy has embraced is that of individual rights, often known as 'first-generation' human rights, such as freedom of expression. For all their advantages and success - especially for the industrialized west - it is difficult to reconcile such rights with the collective action and sense of responsibility needed for sustainable development. Attempts should be made to move from an ad hoc project-based approach towards a strategic approach more in keeping with the long-term aims of sustainable development. Many of the contributors argue explicitly or implicitly that a static view is manifestly inadequate; and that ecological 'function' or process rather than simply the static 'state' should always be considered.
