More Pleistocene Dreams

By josh donlan on July 17, 2008.

In this month's issue of Search Magazine (formally Science and Spirit), Chris Hallman writes about Pleistocene Rewilding and talks to conservation luminaries Michael Soule, Paul Martin, and Dave Forman. Hallman concludes that sometimes even science needs to take a leap of faith. Soule elegantly agrees by adding, "We're damned if we do, and damned if we don't...I'd rather be damned for careful doing than for doing nothing."

More like this

I like elephants, I just don't want one in my backyard

Over the last several hundred years, humans in North America have unwittingly selected the species that are going to be coexisting with humanity in the future. Rare native flora and fauna have disappeared, but some organisms have flourished in the modified landscape. White-tailed deer, coyotes,…

Those theistic evolutionists keep picking on poor Billy

Bill Dembski seems to be a bit peeved at those theistic evolutionists — they keep siding with the evolutionary biologists, whether they're Christian or atheist or whatever! And all that despite the fact that the atheists often roll their eyes and laugh when the theistic evolutionists start babbling…

Pruett on Scientism

I am happy to report that my back is now completely healed up from its recent travails, and I can now sit in perfect comfort for arbitrarily long periods of time. So let's see if we can wake up this sleepy little blog... My friend Dave Pruett, recently retired from a long and successful career…

What Do I, As A Blogger, Want From A Network?

There's been lots of talk lately about the future of science blogging, in general, and the purpose and nature of blogging communities or networks, more specifically. If you haven't read Bora's post, you should. Even if you aren't specifically interested in SCIENCE blogging, as it relates to new…

"What is required now is a project as audacious as Noahs. But we need a bigger boat."
That might be my favourite use yet of that particular jaws quote - I really liked this article, reasoned and passionate at the same time.

Thanks for bringing that to our attention. I remain mightily impressed.
It'd be interesting to repeat the survey from a few months ago and see if the article's enlightening perspective can effectively erode the entrenched resistance to this kind of change.

Advertisment

Donate

ScienceBlogs is where scientists communicate directly with the public. We are part of Science 2.0, a science education nonprofit operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please make a tax-deductible donation if you value independent science communication, collaboration, participation, and open access.

You can also shop using Amazon Smile and though you pay nothing more we get a tiny something.

Science 2.0

Science Codex

More by this author

A Lame Duck Screwing The Environment

November 5, 2008

During Clinton's 11th hour, he initiated a number of policies that protected the environment; some of those regulations have remained in force, including the protection of almost 60 million acres of roadless areas. According to an article in Nature this week (and the OMB Watch, a Washington DC-…

Barcelona Blues

October 22, 2008

I just returned from the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, where 8,000 of conservation's "best and brightest" (along with plenty of the "most important") gathered to discuss, talk, and work toward a more diverse and sustainable world. I wish I had good news to report - but it is mostly…

The "Best Of" Some Good Reading

October 18, 2008

Every year Houghton-Mifflin puts out a edited volume entitled "The Best American Science and Nature Writing". The latest volume looks like some delightful bedtime reading (although I may be biased because I was chosen as one of the authors). It includes works by Freeman Dyson, Edward Hoagland,…

World Conservation Forum

October 1, 2008

I am hastily heading to the World Conservation Forum in Barcelona, which starts next week. Here, more than 8,000 of the world's leading decision makers in sustainable development will convene: from governments, NGOs, business, the UN and academia. Together in one place for 10 days, they will to…

Where The Auroxen Roam

September 26, 2008

In this month's issue of Wired Magazine, Andrew Curry writes about rewilding projects around the world. In particular, he describes the wonderful efforts going on in the Netherlands.