Reconciliation Ecology - Challenges

Challenges

While reconciliation ecology attempts to modify the human world to encourage biodiversity without negatively impacting human use, there are still difficulties in getting broad acceptance of the idea. For example, addition of large wood to urban river systems, which provides critical habitat structure for native fish and invertebrates may be seen as “untidy” and a sign of poor management by residents. Similarly, many suburban areas do not allow long, unkempt lawns that provide useful wildlife habitat because of damage to property values. Many humans have negative feelings toward certain species, especially predators such as wolves, which are often based more in perceived risk than actual risk of property loss or injury resulting from the animal. Even with cooperation of the human element of the equation, reconciliation ecology may not be successful for every species. Some animals, such as several species of waterfowl, show strong avoidance behaviors toward humans and any form of human disturbance. No matter how nice an urban park is built, the proximity of humans will scare away the birds. Other species must maintain large territories and barriers that abound in human habitats, such as roads, will stop them from coexisting with humans. These animals will require undisturbed land set aside for them.