Landscape ecologists have a role in poverty relief

Abstract

The causes, consequences, and solutions to human poverty throughout the world lie squarely in the realm of landscape ecology. I believe the book ‘‘The End of Poverty: Economic Possibilities for our Time’’ by Jeffrey Sachs should motivate additional research and implementation of principles within landscape ecology into this critical arena. The bottom line from this book: the 1.1 billion people living in extreme poverty can be lifted onto the first rung of the economic ladder with financial input from persons, corporations, organizations, and (especially) governments from the rich countries. These investments, approximately $60/person/yr until about 2025, if they are carefully targeted and consistently provided, would allow the poor countries to attain a reasonably sustainable development (rather than the downward ecological, sociological, and economical spiral now occurring). Landscape ecologists can provide expertise to efficiently use funds to the greatest value and to research sustainable, integrated pathways to development. The Millennium Development Project, which Sachs leads, assists countries in reaching their Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 2015 (www.undp.org/mdg). These eight internationally agreed upon goals include: (1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; (2) achieve universal primary education; (3) promote gender equality and empower women; (4) reduce child mortality; (5) improve maternal health; (6) combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases; (7) ensure environmental sustainability; and (8) establish a global partnership for development. The MDG also have 18 targets and 48 indicators that provide measurable targets for 2015. The first target calls for the halving of extreme poverty (people living on less than $1 a day) and hunger (insufficient dietary energy consumption) by 2015. Sachs’ plan calls for finishing the job by 2025. Bono notes in the forward of this book that ‘‘...we could be the first generation to outlaw the kind of extreme, stupid poverty that sees a child die of hunger in a world of plenty...We are the first generation that can afford it....We can be the first generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude determines whether a child lives or dies––but will we be that generation?’’ This opportunity and responsibility involves landscape ecology at the local, national, and global scales––the movement and interactions of materials, resources, information, technology, and humans among a huge mosaic of disparate land types and capabilities. A key link is water security––1.8 million children die each year due to inadequate water and sanitation––a result of 1 billion people lacking safe water and 2.6 billion lacking adequate sanitation. Sachs initially presents an overview of the global poverty scene and presents startling facts: more than L. R. Iverson (&) Northern Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Road, Delaware, OH 43015, USA e-mail: liverson@fs.fed.us