Environmental Art as Eco-cultural Restoration

Many artists concerned with the environment have created interventions dependent on the restoration of ecosystems. These artists not only comment on environmental issues, they also intercede to halt degradation and nurture environmental health. They are passionately involved in processes that restore a variety of ecosystems worldwide. They question assumptions about what is possible, and they work with scientists, government officials, and planners to bring their visions to fruition. These works aim to escape the confines of the “white box” to implement sustainable principles and actually influence policy. This chapter presents three projects that invited public interaction by initiating community projects. All have significant human dimensions of creativity and interaction within a restoration setting.