Ecologists

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Lore & Background

The Ecologists are a faction of scientists and researchers operating within the Zone, dedicated to the study of its anomalies, artifacts, and unique environmental phenomena. Unlike the military or mercenary groups, they prioritize data collection and understanding over combat or profit, often relying on stalkers for protection and fieldwork. The faction is decentralized, with key scientists such as Professor Sakharov and Dr. Kruglov leading various research initiatives across different locations.

In Their Own Story

In 1993, Hardin published Living Within Limits: Ecology, Economics, and Population Taboos, which he described as a summation of all his previous works. The book won the 1993 Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science. In it, he argues that natural sciences are grounded in limits, while social sciences like economics are grounded in concepts with no limits, such as 'infinite-Earth' economic models. He labels those who reflexively argue for growth as 'growthmaniacs' and argues against institutional faith in exponential growth on a finite planet. Using compound interest, he illustrates that any economy based on long-term compound interest must eventually fail due to the impossibility of long-term exponential growth on a finite planet. Hardin writes, 'At this late date millions of people believe in the fertility of money with an ardor seldom accorded to traditional religious doctrines.'

Reader's Guide

Hardin was a proponent of eugenics, with membership in the American Eugenics Society dating to 1956, and served as a director from 1971 to 1974. He caused controversy for his support of anti-immigrant causes. The Southern Poverty Law Center noted that Hardin served on the board of the Federation for American Immigration Reform and Social Contract Press, and co-founded the anti-immigration Californians for Population Stabilization and The Environmental Fund. In 1994, he was one of 52 signatories on 'Mainstream Science on Intelligence,' an editorial published in the Wall Street Journal. His last book, The Ostrich Factor: Our Population Myopia (1999), called for coercive constraints on 'unqualified reproductive rights' and argued that affirmative action is a form of racism. Hardin and his wife, who suffered from Lou Gehrig's disease, were members of End-of-Life Choices and killed themselves in their Santa Barbara home in September 2003, shortly after their 62nd wedding anniversary.

Did You Know?

• The Ecologists' main base is in the Yantar region, where they analyze artifacts and anomalies.
• They often hire experienced stalkers to retrieve artifacts or escort research expeditions into dangerous areas.
• The faction has no single leader; key scientists like Professor Sakharov and Dr. Kruglov oversee different research projects.
• Ecologists are neutral toward most factions but will defend themselves if attacked.
• Their work has led to breakthroughs in understanding the Zone's energy fields and biological mutations.