While static goals -- where success is little change in ecological condition -- may seem at odds with the realities of restoring systems in the face of environmental change, it is challenging to incorporate dynamic measures in restoration projects. From my experience, this challenge is due to the intersection of three issues: high uncertainty in ecological dynamics, low risk tolerance, and the basic human desire to keep things the same. I discuss some projects that emphasize flexibility and change, how we may be able to include dynamic goals more often, and why we may never be able to completely move away from static expectations.
