Reid '06 Leads MOBOT Restoration Ecology Symposium

Lab alum, Leighton Reid '06 organized the 63rd Annual Fall Symposium at the Missouri Botanical Garden (MOBOT) entitled: "Ecological Restoration in a Changing Biosphere" (Oct. 7-8, 2016). The symposium presented contemporary perspectives on the science, technology, and human dimensions of the rapidly expanding field of ecological restoration. In the post-COP21 world, when all three UN Conventions call for scaling up and mainstreaming of ecological restoration, it is clear that restoration programs will affect hundreds of millions of hectares – and as many people – over the coming decades. At the same time, we find ourselves in an era of unprecedented change where climate, ecological baselines, and future land-use changes are highly uncertain. The symposium addressed key questions including: How are restoration ecologists, practitioners, and policy makers addressing these challenges? And what do these challenges mean for countries striving to meet ambitious restoration targets? Dr. Reid is currently a staff ecologist at MOBOT.