From Extraction to Reparation: American National Security and Territorial Adaptation in the Climate Crisis

Abstract

We are now witnessing the results of our collective destruction around the world. From centuries of colonialism and industrialization where forests were leveled, marshlands drained, rivers tamed, and oil burned, this global alteration is no longer hidden. Many of the lands bearing the brunt of the effects were the ones leveraged as key extraction zones which accelerated the crisis we face today. This paper argues that USVI (United States Virgin Island) mangrove ecosystems can be a case study for fundamental analysis for restoration and conservation ecology issues for sustainable boosting of local communities. It is argued that under the concept of a “reparation zone” a bridge can be achieved in the gap between environment, human community, and disciplinary separation to work towards a pluralistic approach through a new cultural reparation ecology to better represent, operate, and solve the myriad issues of climate change in the Greater United States. By focusing on American territorial possessions, this paper examines lingering plantation histories and argues for how nature-based solutions can generate a new methodology towards addressing climate threats and socio-cultural injustices.