What does ecosystem restoration aim to achieve?

Ecosystem restoration focuses on returning degraded ecosystems to their original state and function. This involves addressing the ecological, social, and economic factors that have led to the degradation. By revitalizing the natural processes, improving biodiversity, and enhancing ecosystem services such as water purification, carbon storage, and habitat for wildlife, restoration efforts aim to re-establish healthy ecosystems that provide benefits to both nature and human communities. The ultimate goal is to recreate the conditions that existed before degradation, fostering resilience and sustainability within the ecosystem.

Creating new ecosystems or maintaining current ones as they are does not align with the primary objective of restoration, which seeks to actively rectify past damage. Similarly, developing urban spaces in natural habitats diverges from restoration, as it often leads to further habitat loss and fragmentation rather than rehabilitation of the ecosystem.