Adam Davis, from Ecosystem Investment Partners, discusses the intersection of environmentalism and capitalism in the restoration economy. The podcast explores topics such as the intrinsic value of nature, incentivizing recycling and waste reduction, measuring ecosystem services, restoration banking, and restoration efforts in various locations. It emphasizes the need for job creation, economic development, and growth in conservation while highlighting the success and potential economic benefits of restoration.
The podcast emphasizes the value of actively engaging with nature and finding a sense of magic and participation through listening, observing, and immersing ourselves in the natural world.
The podcast discusses the importance of attaching an economic value to nature's ecological services in order to incentivize the protection and restoration of natural systems.
Deep dives
The Magic of the Participatory Experience
The podcast episode highlights the work of David Abram and the idea that the magic lies not in the trick itself, but in the experience of awe and wonder it creates. This concept can be applied to our experience of nature, where listening, observing, and immersing ourselves in the natural world can bring a sense of magic and participation. The podcast emphasizes the interconnectedness of humans and the living world, promoting a shift from observation to active engagement in nature.
Permitting and Money in Ecological Restoration
The episode explores the intersection of permitting and money in the field of ecological restoration. Adam Davis, a managing partner at Ecosystem Investment Partners, discusses the challenges and rewards of finding meaning and purpose in work that involves permitting and financial considerations. He shares personal anecdotes from his early jobs, illustrating the importance of finding work that aligns with one's values and the potential for even seemingly mundane jobs to have an impact on the environment.
Recognizing the Economic Value of Nature
The podcast delves into the concept of recognizing and attaching an economic value to nature's ecological services. The conversation highlights the work of Gretchen Daly, a conservation biologist who emphasizes the financial value of what nature actually does. This perspective challenges the notion that nature and its services should be inherently free or supported solely by philanthropy, and instead argues for the inclusion of economic value in order to incentivize the protection and restoration of natural systems.
The Role of Mitigation Banking in Restoration
The episode discusses the role of mitigation banking in ecological restoration. Mitigation banking involves restoring degraded landscapes and earning credits that can be sold to those who need compliance with environmental laws. The process includes scientific measurements, legal and financial assurances, and collaboration between restoration contractors, designers, and regulators. The episode highlights the growth and significance of the ecological restoration industry in attracting private and public capital to fund restoration projects, while aligning financial incentives with environmental goals.
How do we account for nature? We can build on it and we can take from it, but what is its intrinsic value — in and of itself?
On this episode: Adam Davis (of Ecosystem Investment Partners), and a cultural transformation happening right now — reshaping the intersection of environmentalism and capitalism. Welcome to the restoration economy.
Our supporters get access to early episode releases, a community discord server, discounted merch, and exclusive bonus content: for example,a follow-up Q&A conversation with Adam Davis.
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