Symposium 17. Revolutionary Ecology: Defining and Conducting Stewardship and Action as Ecologists and Global Citizens

摘要

The theme of the 96th ESA meeting, Earth stewardship: preserving and enhancing Earth’s life-supportsystems, was undoubtedly the most relevant topic of discussion among the thousands of ecologists whomade their way to the Austin Convention Center in early August 2011. During the week of the meeting, anumber of talks, sessions, and workshop explored the role of ecologists in actively shaping a new scienceagenda focused on achieving social change (Earth stewardship). In the same vein, if Earth stewardshipis a “call to arms for ecologists,” as described by the ESA, Symposium 17 of the meeting, entitled“Revolutionary Ecology: Defining and Conducting Stewardship and Action as Ecologists and GlobalCitizens,” focused on how to answer the call. In essence, the revolution is a call for ecologists to becomeaction ecologists, engaging in ecological research that catalyzes social action to improve environmentalconditions and societal welfare, and for the system of training and rewarding ecologists to align with thispurpose. The symposium, one of the many stewardship initiatives developed by SEEDS students andalumni during the meeting, argued that Earth stewardship requires the integration of an established fieldof practices known as action research. The working nature of the action research framework presents a“dual commitment…to study a system and concurrently to collaborate with members of the system inchanging it in what is together regarded as a desirable direction” (Gilmore et al. 1986). Thus, to embracethe practice of Earth stewardship we must first embrace action ecology’s approach to understandingthe complex problems confronting the Earth. A diverse lineup of speakers discussed the philosophicalaspects of becoming stewards, the necessary actions implied in this process, and the challenges we mustaddress to engage, train, and reward action ecologists.