Restoration and Adaptation for Prospective Freshwater Shortages: An Integrative Evaluation and Actionable Approach

Abstract

The availability of water resources is a growing concern throughout the world as more populations experience severe water shortages. Restoration ecology seeks to repair damage done to ecosystems through anthropogenic actions and climate change, making it a possible long-term solution and adaptive strategy to water shortages. This paper explores the practice of restoration ecology to assess its ability to help people adapt to a future with water challenges. Research revealed that restoration ecology can be used to better prepare people for a future with water shortages. By adopting the Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia's National Restoration Standards, the efficiency of all types of restoration, including vital aquatic resource restoration, can be improved. The Standards could also help to redefine international restoration legally and be a basis for global standards. Emphasizing climate change adaptation through restoration in Tacoma water management documents would result in bold, proactive, cohesive and adaptive water management locally. Finally, collaboration between the Society for Ecological Restoration and the University of Washington Tacoma would connect students and faculty to a global network, and resources necessary to research, design and implement the most effective restoration techniques possible for an uncertain future with water challenges.