1. Ecological engineering

1.1 Definition of ecological engineering

The concept of ecological engineering was developed in the 1990s as a response to the consequences of ecosystem degradation. Its origins date back to the 1960s, when Howard Odum, an American ecologist, developed the concept of "Ecological engineering", the principle of which is to be able to act on the evolutionary trajectories of ecosystems by influencing natural dynamics.

In France, ecological engineering was defined following work led by the Ministry of Ecology. The Journal officiel de la République française gives the following definition: