Both these terms, rehabilitation, and restoration are related to architecture. The old buildings and monuments are rehabilitated to make them strong again and again, keep standing their heads high with pride. These terms are also related to the ecosystem.
The restoration and rehabilitation of the ecosystem are similarly necessary to keep the balance of the ecosystem intact and repair the damages made by natural, human, and technological damages. Both rehabilitation and restoration are processes for the protection of the environment. But these are different from conservation. There also have some differences between them.
Rehabilitation vs Restoration
The main difference between rehabilitation and restoration is that rehabilitation means to repair the damages but not to make it as the intact piece as it was at a particular time. But restoration means to make it intact as it was before. The differences between these are best understood by taking the ecosystem as an example.
Rehabilitation means repairing the damages caused by human exploitation, technological damages, etc., but this does not mean making it as same as it was before. It only fulfills the damages so that it does not get more exploited or to fill the damages made. It aims for the re-establishment of the species and communities of the ecosystem.
Restoration means to repair the damages and make the ecosystem as it was before. It also aims to return the species of plants and animals, and other factors to the place. But many times, it is not possible due to huge changes in soil, temperature, the climate of the surroundings. There are many successful restorations in oceanic parts and other habitats. These restoration measures can be taken by the government, any company, or by an individual.
Comparison Table Between Rehabilitation and Restoration
| Parameters of Comparison | Rehabilitation | Restoration |
| Definition | The process to repair without a target of making it as the original. | The process to repair and make it as it was originally at a particular time. |
| For buildings | To repair the damages and make it strong and durable for long after use. | To repair and make it as it was before. |
| For ecosystem | To fulfill the damage done and making it useable for any species to survive. | To repair the damage and bring back the native species of that habitat. |
| Practically applicable | This is practically possible. | It is tough to make it successful. |
| Examples | North American eastern deciduous forest, Calcareous grasslands, etc. | Dike 14, Beachwood city, etc. |
What is Rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation means repairing the damages caused by human exploitation, technological damages, etc., but this does not mean making it as same as it was before. It only fulfills the damages so that it does not get more exploited or to fill the damages made. It aims for the re-establishment of the species and communities of the ecosystem.
Rehabilitation is also applicable for buildings. The old buildings that are in damaged condition need to be repaired. So to repair the building, some factors should be changed.
The rehabilitation process is done to keep the original form of the property as far as possible. But he minimal changes are done that is needed to make the building safely usable for a longer period.
These similar things are applied in the rehabilitation of a habitat. The damages that occurred in that area due to human interference, technological damage, mining, etc. the damages are tried to be recovered by keeping the original habitat in mind.
The native plants, animals, and other species are again brought to that place to overcome the damage. But sometimes, it is not possible due to the permanent change in climate, soil, or water of that area.
What is Restoration?
Restoration means to repair the damages and make the ecosystem as it was before. It also aims to return the species of plants and animals, and other factors to the place. But many times, it is not possible due to huge changes in soil, temperature, the climate of the surroundings. There are many successful restorations in oceanic parts and other habitats. These restoration measures can be taken by the government, any company, or by an individual.
The term restoring is also applicable to the buildings. The process of bringing the property or the key feature of the building again after repairing the damages is called restoration of the building. In this repairing process, the key feature of the building is kept intact. The original form of the place is brought back.
On the other hand, the restoration of habitat means the repairing of the habitat to keep the original form intact. The original form of a habitat consists of its animals, birds, plants, and other species.
Sometimes the ecologists keep the habitat unused to repair on its own. But that’s a long process. So to restore habitat, the foremost thing is to check the climate, soil, and other factors.
Main Differences Between Rehabilitation and Restoration
- Rehabilitation is the process of repairing and make it usable for a longer period. On the other hand, restoration is the process of making a damaged thing as it was originally.
- Rehabilitation of a building is to repair the damages and make it usable and strong for the next longer period, but restoration means that the key features of the building should be intact and have an original look.
- Rehabilitation is more practical than restoration. Converting a damaged thing to its original form is not always possible.
- Rehabilitation of an ecosystem means to repair the damage without trying to make it as original as before, whereas restoration of an ecosystem means to repair and bring back the original form of the ecosystem.
- Some plans of rehabilitation are North American eastern deciduous forest, Calcareous grasslands, etc., and some plans of restoration are Dike 14, Beachwood city, etc.
Conclusion
Both rehabilitation and restoration are the processes to repair the damages made to the buildings or the ecosystem, or anything else. The difference is between the objectives on which they are working. The objective of one process is to restore the damaged form into the original, and the other is to repair the damaged part and make it usable once more.
So as per the objective, the process of restoration is practically very complicated as one may not have all the data but how the original form was, but making it repaired and usable is not that of any complications. This small difference leads to the birth of two different terms in the dictionary.
References
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=lkTc1iaU-qcC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=rehabilitation&ots=7HhReQiWRB&sig=b6VqUvXWOLgqydAIRYTb2TT4gJM
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=juWMJSlYChUC&oi=fnd&pg=PR13&dq=restoration&ots=ADEAlYD3bG&sig=6VgHkn-yL–EL7cetIQpOHVWuC4