The Global Restoration Network (GRN) is a recently launched online project of the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER). GRN:
… offers the field of ecological restoration a new database and web-based portal to trustworthy and hard-to-find information on all aspects of restoration, from historic ecosystems and recent causes of degradation to in-depth case studies and proven restoration techniques. …
The field of ecological restoration is currently experiencing an explosion of ideas and practices as the number of experts and practitioners increases, and more and more restoration projects are being undertaken around the world. And now that the field has been established, there is great need for a single, comprehensive source of information for governments, individuals, corporations and nonprofit organizations on the current state of degradation and the best restorative practices.
I’ve only just started browsing around GRN. There is a huge amount of information accessible on the site. The site offers several different ways of getting at all of this, including browsing and exploring through categories, themed pages with links to related resources, and search. They’re planning a searchable database for 2007.
The disturbing part: GRN is sponsored by Chevron. The last thing the field needs is greenwashing.
Disclosure: I recently joined SER as a member, not for any professional reasons, but because I’m interested in learning more about whether and how restoration works. As a member, I get their newsletters, journals, and so on.