Policy and restoration in wilderness-development frontiers

In March of 2007 a week long workshop was held in southern Chile on the subject of frontier ecosystems involving themes of conservation biology, environmental philosophy, and policy. In consultation with scientists and policy analysts, the philosophers participating in this workshop developed an ethical and philosophical assessment of questions related to frontier ecosystems. This assessment included an account of epistemological, ethical, metaphysical, and aesthetic values related to the management of frontier ecosystems. Far from seeking to prescribe values, this approach promoted a societal dialogue through integrating philosophic insights with scientific research for improved policy making. This talk will summarize the results of these interactions.