Ecodefence
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 Collectively, actions intended to disrupt human activities perceived to be damaging to the environment, typically including civil disobedience and illegal sabotage. uncountable
"⁽¹⁾ Ecodefence is a provocative call to those deeply concerned with the need for immediate protection of the limited wilderness areas remaining in Canada and the U.S. ⁽²⁾ Foreman concedes that ecodefence is not the only answer to the defence and promotion of wilderness. ⁽³⁾ The guide includes contributions from several different authors who, with the exception of Foreman, remain anonymous because the ecodefence tactics they advocate are acts of civil disobedience or crimes against property. ⁽⁴⁾ […] who should be included in the ecodefence groups, and how to ensure one’s own safety and the safety of those engaged in the activities one is trying to prevent. [¶] Despite the space dedicated to the safety issue, one walks away with the sense that ecodefence may be a very dangerous activity."
Example
More examples"⁽¹⁾ Ecodefence is a provocative call to those deeply concerned with the need for immediate protection of the limited wilderness areas remaining in Canada and the U.S. ⁽²⁾ Foreman concedes that ecodefence is not the only answer to the defence and promotion of wilderness. ⁽³⁾ The guide includes contributions from several different authors who, with the exception of Foreman, remain anonymous because the ecodefence tactics they advocate are acts of civil disobedience or crimes against property. ⁽⁴⁾ […] who should be included in the ecodefence groups, and how to ensure one’s own safety and the safety of those engaged in the activities one is trying to prevent. [¶] Despite the space dedicated to the safety issue, one walks away with the sense that ecodefence may be a very dangerous activity."
Etymology
Coined (as ecodefense) by David Foreman in his 1985 book Ecodefense: A Field Guide to Monkeywrenching, from eco- + defence.
Related phrases
More for "ecodefence"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.