Restoring Ecological Health to Your Land is the first practical guidebook to give restorationists and would-be restorationists with little or no scientific training or background the how to" information and knowledge they need to plan and implement ecological restoration activities. This textbook sets forth a step-by-step process for developing, implementing, monitoring, and refining on-the-ground restoration projects that is applicable to a wide range of landscapes and ecosystems.

The first part of the textbook introduces the process of ecological restoration in simple, easily understood language through specific examples drawn from the authors' experience restoring their own lands in southern and central Wisconsin. It offers systematic, step-by-step strategies along with inspiration and benchmark experiences. The book's second half shows how that same thinking"and doing" can be applied to North America's major ecosystems and landscapes in any condition or scale.

No other ecological restoration textbook leads by example and first-hand experience like this one. The authors encourage readers to champion restoration of ecosystems close to where they live . . . at home, on farms and ranches, in parks and preserves.

It provides an essential bridge for people from all walks of life and all levels of experience-from land trust member property stewards to agency personnel responsible for restoring lands in their care-and represent a unique and important contribution to the literature on restoration.

The companion workbook describes more fully the planning tools and techniques outlined in the textbook and offers a wealth of specific resources, including worksheets and spreadsheets to help you determine what equipment and plant materials you need, create project schedules, monitor results, and estimate costs.

Steven I. Apfelbaum is chairman of Applied Ecological Services Inc., a company he founded in 1975. He has worked on design, construction, management, monitoring, and research of ecosystems and has taught ecosystem restoration to land trusts, conservation organizations, and families interested in restoring their property.

Alan Haney is a forest ecologist and emeritus professor of forestry and former dean of the College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. His research and teaching focus on ecosystem structure and function, including restoration ecology.