Ecological Countermeasures for Preventing Zoonotic Disease Outbreaks: When Ecological Restoration is a Human Health Imperative

Reaser, Jamie K.; Witt, Arne; Tabor, Gary M.; Hudson, Peter J.; Plowright, Raina K.

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 COVID‐19 pandemic provides the impetus for the 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 tenant of restoration ecology with human health goals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.