This symposium addresses the ecological concepts and theory at the heart of restoration ecology, involving researchers who have been developing this body of work over the past two decades, in addition to workers in related fields who will be asked to contribute and critically evaluate progress in understanding and application in this area.

The field of restoration ecology has always been an interesting blend of science, practice and policy. As the field matures as a science, it is timely to assess its current status and how best to advance it. Various attempts have been made to identify scientific concepts which can guide practitioners in embarking on successful ecological restoration projects. This has largely been pursued through such channels as the pages of learned journals and, notably, the SER Primer on Ecological Restoration, which lists the “nine attributes” of a successful ecological restoration project. These attributes are based on theoretical concepts and observation drawn from restoration ecology, the general field of ecology, and the broader natural sciences. This session aims to: (1) examine these concepts as research questions with the aim of establishing how clearly they are in agreement with current theory, and whether they need extending/modifying/rejecting; (2) examine how useful these concepts are in terms of providing meaningful and measurable characteristics which might be translatable into standards for restoration projects; and (3) consider what new attributes/concepts/questions we need to consider in applying restoration ecology in ecological restoration. Speakers are drawn from a wide range of disciplines pertinent to, and active in, the field of restoration ecology, and wider disciplines where appropriate.