The Restoration Economy

The Restoration Economy, the Greatest New Growth Frontier by Storm Cunningham is a book that bridges the gap between business/ development and conservation/landscape management. Those with a business bent will find that it brings into focus what most of us have seen over the last few decades, a shift is taking place from new development being primary to redevelopment and restoration being primary. It explains a lot about the trends in redevelopment and gives great insights into where business might concentrate as more and more oportunities present themselves to restore the built environment we all live in. Making brownfields and industrial sites more livable; rehabilitating highways and bridges; upgrading water and waste water facilities; rebuilding after wars and natural disasters; and recreating historic sites and structures are all actions of the restoration economy. Cunningham does a superb job of showing how these activities are all pointing us in one direction: making our built environment more livable. But the story does not end there. As a society we are now also heavily involved in the restoration of forests, prairies, farms, wetlands, fisheries, etc, etc, etc. This is because humans have now been everywhere on earth, and almost everywhere that humans have been, we have left a mess that needs to be cleaned up. This provides literally thousands of oportunities for businesses, large and small, to get involved in clean up and restoration. By reading this book, one not only gets a sense of where business will be going in the future, one also gets the sense that as a society it is time to intergrate the management of built and natural environments into one comprehensive whole. This book helps us all understand more completely that the disparate sectors of our economy that have been involved in various phases of restoration now are feeling the pressure of a coming together. The more there is a coming together, the more effective will be the process of making landscapes livable throughout the world.

Storm Cunningham's The Restoration Economy: The Greatest New Growth Frontier: Immediate & Emerging Opportunities for Businesses, Communities & Investors is a worthwhile read for all. Businesses, unions, economic development leaders, and conservationists will truly find that this book is an exciting introduction to thinking outside the box when it comes to restoration. At last, a strong argument has been made that clearly articulates that restoration is not a "donation" to be given back to society. Indeed, restoration of both built and natural environments can be seen as fee for service and a strong source of economic vitality across the board. As the author points out, not only do communities and the natural environment benefit from restoration, but restoration can provide a strong platform for successful businesses and cutting edge economic development. In a style not unlike that of Paul Hawkin, Storm Cunningham has gifted us with a visionary yet pragmatic perspective of a bureoning Restoration Economy across multiple sectors of our current economy. It is likely that many currently unfamiliar to the promise of restoration such as bussiness, unions, and economic development leaders will find the book a useful tool in providing baseline arguements and understanding. For those already versed in the potential of restoration, this book will only strengthen and further legitimize your own efforts to advance restoration.