The best books about regeneration, our relationship with the landscape, and restoring ecological health

This book reveals the critical role mushrooms play in maintaining ecosystem health. Research has uncovered the stunning degree to which fungi regulate life on this planet. Paul Stamets shares that here while also explaining myriad ways mushrooms can be used to repair the web of life that we have damaged. For example, oyster mushrooms have been shown to be effective at digesting hydrocarbons such as diesel and motor oil, rendering them inert and non-toxic. The information and perspectives provided in this book are downright eye-opening; Mycelium Running invariably inspires while at the same time also pointing to practical solutions.   

Cradle to Cradle lays out a clear and actionable approach to balancing our modern industrial systems with the health of all living things on this planet. Unlike so many perspectives that pit technological progress against ecological health, this book makes it clear how we can have both without sacrificing our own health or the health of other living things. When I was first beginning my landscape design practice, this book inspired me greatly. Now, over two decades later, it still inspires me because the perspective shared on these pages is more relevant than ever.   

Written by the founder of the Society for Ecological Restoration, this book explains perspectives that are foundational to human-initiated ecological regeneration. The Sunflower Forest paints an accessible and inspiring picture of how we can collaborate with nature to create beneficial results for all living things. In this book, William R. Jordan III also explains how, with the right perspective, anyone can learn to speak the language of nature that underpins all ecological regeneration.

John Todd is one of the preeminent ecologists on the planet. Over the course of his 5-decade career, he has been innovating and exploring ways in which we can work with nature to find solutions for major environmental conundrums. In this book, Dr. Todd explains the theory behind ecological design while also sharing inspiring examples of his work, ranging from restoring ocean fisheries, cleaning wastewater in hopelessly polluted ponds, to providing inexpensive access to sewage treatment in shantytowns with open, untreated sewers. This book shows that with the right mindset and commitment, ecological solutions are readily available for almost any situation. 

When European colonists settled North America, they began to significantly alter the landscape in ways that were deeply ignorant of ecological health. Now, over 400 years later, that impact has not lessened. However, over that time, there have been significant ebbs and flows in the landscape relative to how it’s used (or not used). This fascinating book follows that trajectory as it explores the environmental history of New England. Even for those not familiar with this particular region, this book offers a unique window into how dynamic and fluid landscapes and ecosystems can be over the course of time.