If used in a way that acknowledges that humans are an intrinsic part of ecosystems, the phrase “healthy ecosystem” can be justified: humans are implicated in activities that degrade ecosystems, yet humans can also be agents for the maintenance or restora- tion of ecosystems. And the health of humans is in some way a measure of the health of the ecosystem in which they live and depend, and vice versa. ‘Health’ is also powerful metaphor for the condition of an eco- system, and ecosystem approaches to human health make critical contributions to public health. A claim to ‘healthy ecosystems’ comes from.
