Possibilities of Forming an Ecological Restoration Trade Association
Organizing interests into associations that influence various levels of government is an important aspect of public policy within the United States. Given the dependence of ecological restoration firms on the government—either through direct funding or regulatory mandates requiring restoration—it is in the industry’s best interest to influence public policy. Growth within the industry is closely tied to expanding government funding programs. For too long these restoration firms, conscious or not, have relied on public interest organizations to lobby for them, at least in terms of promoting ecological restoration as a concept and securing funding for on-the-ground work. In order to further the interests of the ecological restoration sector of the economy, restoration-related businesses should create a trade association that conducts lobbying and outreach in order to expand market opportunity, influence regulation, and maximize profits for shareholders. Industries with similar dependencies on the government can serve as examples for such a restoration trade association, primarily as to in what activities in which it should engage, how it should be structured, and how it should organize its membership. Creating a viable and active ecological restoration industry trade association is an important step in ensuring a long-term thriving ecological restoration sector of the economy.
