The editorial team and I would like to announce two new article types for Ecological Restoration and provide further updates including introducing periodic Themed Sections for the journal.
Along with research articles and reports of new scientific data as the mainstay of Ecological Restoration, the unique readership of the journal and the journal’s focus on advancing the practice of restoration allows for article types that may not find a home elsewhere. One of the two new article types we are introducing is Practitioner Highlight. This will be a forum for highlighting the achievements of dedicated individuals or groups who accomplish remarkable advances in ecological restoration with little recognition or fanfare. These may be people who work quietly “behind the scenes” to implement exemplary restoration projects or those who may be publicly visible yet have the full scope of their achievements largely unrecognized. Our goal is to highlight the inspirational leadership and innovation of these practitioners.
For Practitioner Highight articles, we encourage concise content (~2500 words) featuring individuals or groups that significantly advanced the science and practice of the discipline and had a profound, personal impact on the author’s own career, pursuits, or views of restoration. Those profiled can be influential mentors, restoration visionaries, or innovators from any continent or community. Manuscripts should describe how the practitioner’s work in restoration embodies a longstanding commitment, noteworthy project implementation, creative approaches to restoration, or beneficial connections between humans and ecosystems.
The second new article type we are introducing is the Status of Knowledge Review. Periodically synthesizing published literature or data is a key part of advancing scientific fields and their practical application. Practitioners often do not have the time or access to assemble scientific literature scattered across journals and agency reports. Moreover, many ecological studies are context-dependent. Practitioners need help reconciling how reliably conclusions from one geographic area or set of conditions can be extrapolated to other locations.
For Status of Knowledge Review articles (2,500–5000 words), we encourage literature and data syntheses of techniques, components, ecological principles, or outcomes of restoration at global or regional scales. Syntheses could include narrative reviews of published and/or unpublished information, quantitative syntheses compiling and analyzing datasets, or drawing conclusions from databases and performing other meta-analyses. Large, comprehensive syntheses on priority topics in restoration are welcomed along with shorter, focused syntheses of more narrow scope on timely topics.
We are also working on introducing periodic Themed Sections to the journal. Special issues where an entire journal issue is devoted to a single topic have the advantage of assembling a related body of literature in one place. A disadvantage, however, is that the topic or geographic scope of a special issue may have less relevancy to some readers than a regular issue with diverse articles. As a hybrid approach, we will periodically devote part of an issue to a Themed Section with the remaining part containing the diverse articles our readers expect. The ER staff is soliciting ideas for Themed Sections and encouraging contributors to consider serving as Guest Editor for an issue. With staff support, Guest Editors help recruit articles (typically 3–6) and coordinate the article peer review process.
We will continue to provide journal updates to optimally meet both the needs of prospective authors looking for outlets for their work to positively influence the field, and the needs of readers seeking to incorporate new knowledge in their research or restoration practice. As always, the editorial staff and I welcome suggestions for continuing to advance the journal.
