Ecology Interventions

Ecology Interventions is a place where Tandena explores the inner workings of ecology and environmentalism.

I’m giving an insider’s unvarnished candor on inventive new approaches and complex issues that riddle my field. The writing will be in-depth, but I’m skipping past the jargon and hedging. I’m also sharing progress on my thesis project and what I learn from the hurdles along the way. Here I give my original thoughts on topics like terraforming, calculating ecosystem behavior, genetic banking, and a solarpunk vision of the future. If you love our planet, but all the climate doom has worn you down, I want to invite you to environmentalism with hope, positive goals, and big ideas that are both practical and possible.

Introduction

What is the Goal of Conservation?
Overview of competing motivations within the umbrella of Ecology.
Environmentalism and Me
How I have such unorthodox positions.

Recent

Takeaways from 'What's So Good About Biodiversity'

Every instance that one seeks biodiversity would be better served by seeking the reason you like biodiversity in the first place.

Novel Ecology Literature

Literature pushing the boundaries of environmentalism, questioning the meaning of nature, and fact-checking previous science.

What Biodiversity Is Not

Some of the limitations and paradoxes of biodiversity.

My Thesis Results

How can we protect moss biodiversity from extinction when barely know most of the species?

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Re-thinking Foundations

Inaccurate Ecotopias
What's wrong with current visions of an Ecotopia?
Future Ecological Civilization
What's a realistic Ecotopia?
Types of Stakeholders
A taxonomy of the groups shaping the management of wilderness areas.

Opportune Targets

Overlooked potential for environmentalism.
So far my biggest takeaways are:
1) Environmentalists are too shy of taking positive actions.
2) Actions must be based on outcomes, not on responsibility.

Conserving Biodiversity

An Intro to My Thesis Project
A case study on how to approach effective ecology from my own work on biodiversity.
How NOT to Conserve Biodiversity
Every reason to fight extinction elsewhere.

Optimizing for the Long-term

The Cost of Extinction
A long-termist perspective on extinction.