ecologice

Ecologice is a proposed interdisciplinary field that aims to bridge ecological knowledge with planning, policy, and ethics to foster sustainable interactions between human societies and natural systems. The term blends ecology with the suffix -ice to signify a practical discipline or body of practice, and is sometimes used in speculative or forward-looking discussions about how to apply ecological thinking across sectors.

Its core concern is the integration of systems thinking, resilience, and ecosystem services into decision making at local, regional, and organizational scales. Researchers and practitioners using ecologice emphasize participatory governance, scenario planning, and the development of tools for evaluating environmental impacts across time horizons, including life-cycle assessment and ecological footprint analyses, but with a stronger emphasis on governance and design outcomes than some traditional ecology programs.

Applications of ecologice include urban design and planning, landscape architecture, conservation planning, resource management, agricultural systems, and climate adaptation strategies. The approach seeks to combine scientific knowledge with practical implementation, evaluating social and environmental trade-offs and aiming to align policy and market incentives with ecological integrity.

Relation to other fields is characterized by overlaps with ecology, environmental science, ecological economics, and sustainability science. Ecologice differs by foregrounding actionable design, policy integration, and cross-sector collaboration to translate ecological insights into real-world decisions.

Criticisms and challenges include a lack of formal consensus on scope, potential vagueness of the term, difficulties in measuring outcomes, and the need for cross-disciplinary training. Some observers view ecologice as a rebranding of existing concepts, while others see it as a promising umbrella for integrated practice.

See also: ecology; ecological design; sustainability science; environmental policy.