Ecological countermeasures for preventing zoonotic disease outbreaks: when ecological restoration is a human health imperative

Ecological restoration should be regarded as a public health service. Unfortunately, the lack of quantitative linkages between environmental and human health has limited recognition of this principle. The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic provides the impetus for further discussion. We propose ecological countermeasures as highly targeted, landscape-based interventions to arrest the drivers of land use-induced zoonotic spillover. We provide examples of ecological restoration activities that reduce zoonotic disease risk and a five-point action plan at the human-ecosystem health nexus. In conclusion, we make the case that ecological countermeasures are a tenet of restoration ecology with human health goals.

Automated summary

Ecological restoration should be seen as a public health service, but the lack of quantitative linkages between environmental and human health remains a limiting factor. The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked further discussion, proposing ecological countermeasures to reduce zoonotic disease risks and outlining a five-point action plan at the human-ecosystem health nexus. Ultimately, ecological countermeasures are shown to be a key principle of restoration ecology with human health objectives.