DeB. Richter addresses the problem with declensionist narratives of the environment and how they restrictively frame humans as agents of destruction. He explains the need for new environmental narratives, proposing the Georgic narrative—which sees humans working with the natural world—as a valuable counterpoint. The Southern Piedmont in the United States serves an example of an area in which the Georgic narrative is not only a possibility, but a reality. He provides examples of successful human-natural creations, highlighting how human efforts can produce ecological value in even the most degraded of places—something we would do well to keep in mind as we pursue sustainability in the Anthropocene.
DOI: doi.org/10.5282/rcc/7451