The future significance of ecological design

Title: The Future Significance of Ecological Design Abstract Society is faced with undergoing a fundamental redesign of its infrastructures, if it is to adapt to a post-petroleum and climate-unstable future. Ecology can provide the intellectual template for such a transformation. Through ecological design, adaptive and flexible systems can be created to support the human family and restore ecological services. Examples of ecologically engineered systems for producing energy, growing foods, treating wastes and for environmental restoration will be described. A proposal for a new ecologically based economy for Appalachian areas devastated by mountain top removal and valley fill coal mining will be outlined. The plan involves linking environmental restoration of the region to a natural resource and renewable energy based economy.