This book offers an introduction to the theory and practice of ecological wisdom (EW). EW is the integration of robust contemporary science with proven cultural and historical practices to identify long-term, sustainable solutions to problems of environmental management and urban design. The book combines theoretical concepts with specific case studies, illustrating the opportunities for interdisciplinary approaches combining historical experience, cultural context, and contemporary science as effective strategies for addressing complex problems confronting metropolitan and rural environmental and resource management in areas such as land use, water management, materials and building engineering, urban planning, and architecture and design. EW transcends the limitations in these fields of the normative approaches of modernity or traditional wisdom by offering a new, synthetic strategy to address socio-ecological issues. By presenting these ideas both theoretically and through existing case studies, the book provides researchers, practitioners and students with a powerful new perspective in developing long-term, resilient solutions to existing socio-environmental challenges.
It is intended mainly for those working or interested in the fields of sustainable environmental and resource management, city and regional planning, architecture and design, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and the philosophy of science, particularly those with an ecological or sustainability focus.

Provides readers with an introduction to the concept of ecological wisdom Positions ecological wisdom as a new scientific and practical approach to socio-ecological development distinct from and capable of synthesizing previously articulated perspectives such as modernity or traditional wisdom Provides readers with successful interdisciplinary, historical and contemporary examples of projects that demonstrate the effective deployments of ecological wisdom

Inhalt

Brief overview of origin of EW idea.- Theory.- Natural Resource Management: Water and Land Use.- The Built Environment.- City Planning: Rural and Urban.- Agriculture.- Water: Vernacular water systems.- Energy.