Toward the end of the Introduction to The Restoration Economy, Storm Cunningham muses about his travels:

As mentioned in the Preface, I’ve spent much of my last 20 years exploring our planet’s last remaining healthy jungles, reefs, and other ecosystems. I must be a masochist, because I return to some of my favorite nature spots from time to time. This allows me to perceive their decline, which is often tragic to the point of lumpy throat and leaky eyes. I’ve simultaneously encountered almost universal degradation of communities and cultures. This, too, is deeply tragic, and profoundly moving.

After witnessing a lifetime of marginally successful environmental efforts, failed urban revitalization plans, and the general decrease of satisfaction with our lives and our world in general, a bright light has suddenly appeared at the end of the tunnel.

In every development-related industry I surveyed over the past four years [this book was published in 2002], what has been most exciting to the investors and business planners has been the growth of restorative projects. This made me realize that tremendous untapped growth potential was awaiting the day that this immense economic sector came together and was recognized.