This passage discusses the concept of ecological restoration and how it is defined. Restoration is the process of bringing something back into existence or use, or returning it to a former state. In the context of ecological systems, this means attempting to recreate a system as closely as possible to an historic model. The goal of restoration is to create a system that includes all the species and functions of the model system. However, it is important to recognize that strict restoration is often impossible and there are limits to what can be achieved. In some cases, it may be more appropriate to use terms like agriculture, forestry, gardening, stewardship, or management to describe the work being done. The author also notes that the strict definition of restoration is an ideal and it is important to use language carefully when discussing it.