ABSTRACT
At the very outset we must recognize that, given the magnitude of human disturbance globally, the total restoration of any ecosystem is not completely feasible. Aside from unimaginable costs in putting every sand grain in its original place, it would be impossible, with current technology, to do so on such a large scale. As recognition of ecosystem degradation has grown, the science of restoration ecology has grown rapidly, and the terminology used to describe restoration efforts has proliferated (Box 24.1). In all their forms, these terms refer to efforts designed to assist the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded or destroyed by human actions. As with many lofty ideas, the devil is in the detail!
