Resourcing ecological restoration: the legal context for commercial initiatives

Ecological restoration often depends on substantial funding to be initiated and sustained. So far, the dominant strategies to fund it have been philanthropic altruism or regulatory compulsion. Both make important contributions, but the commercial sector is a further source that has thus far not played a significant role relative to its potential. Just as philanthropic and regulatory strategies are both modulated by the law, so too law shapes the commercial sector’s participation in ecological restoration. Corporate law and its market context are particularly significant, and they are both a potential hindrance and opportunity. Some options for law reform are available to improve the contribution of the business sector to restoration.