Review Comments1
Joseph R. Agozino2
I viewed the chaparral symposium from the
multiple viewpoints of professional ecologist,
designer, planner and practitioner of chaparral
management programs, as well as private citizen
with strong environmental viewpoint.
From this multiple perspective, I was first
gratified that the symposium accomplished its
stated objectives of technology transfer, mutual
interchange and heightened awareness of chaparral as a functional ecosystem, and clearly one
which is little understood by both agency personnel and the public as well.
I felt that the quality of the presentations
was all right, but there is room for innovation
in the exposition of scientific thought. To be
more specific, I felt that there were too many
graphs, tables, charts, etc., to assimilate well
in the short presentation time, and perhaps the
style of presentations were a little on the
stuffy side.
I was a little disturbed by the dual
session, free choice, thematic format since much
of what would have been useful information for
managers had to compete with the management
oriented sessions. I think this should be
changed in future symposia.
The ecosystem theme carried through the
week's sessions with some memorable presentations
by American and foreign scientists as well.
Notably Richard Vogl dramatized a so called
"shock, stagnation" syndrome, an arrested stage
of plant succession characterized by long
term dominance of weedy annual species. Vogl
also stressed that chaparral systems suffer from
many abuses associated with the poor public image
which chaparral has.
Phillip Rundel's paper dealing with succession from the physiological standpoint
demonstrated to managers that basic research
ought to be the basis for conceptualizing all
management schemes in chaparral ecosystem.
1
Presented at the Symposium on Dynamics and
Management of Mediterranean-type Ecosystems,
June 22-26, 1981, San Diego, California.
2
Resource Ecologist, Department of Parks and
Recreation, Southern Region, State of California.
Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-58. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Southwest Forest and Range
Experiment Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; 1982.
As program designer and manager, I was also
looking for both specific information and conceptual models for structuring management
programs. I am satisfied that both of the above
were to be found in the program. I must state
that there were some new things learned and/or
other concepts which heretofore had been suspected but now confirmed. In this I credit our
foreign researchers/managers with some truly outstanding presentations.
I think that this must be highlighted as the
best feature of such a symposium, which is, after
all, a thought expanding process. I also feel
that this process was in evidence which I base
on the many conversations with delegates before,
during and after the sessions. I am convinced
that I did hear some alteration of viewpoint if
not attitude about mediterranean ecosystems. I
believe this was most evident among managers,
but that view might be biased.
I am guessing that de facto viewpoint shifts
resulted mostly from both gentle remonstration,
and ominous messages issued by researchers who
collectively seem to evince the feeling that
managers lack the scope and breadth of understanding about ecological processes, as well as
specific data relevant to those same processes.
In this I say only "let the chips fall where
they may". I personally was not the least bit
offended by this subtly, discernible viewpoint.
I think that it was, after all, the intent of
the symposium planners to create a favorable
milieu for the transfer of technology and
consciousness raising. I feel that those
objectives were actualized. To what extent,
only the future will tell.
I have one additional observation on this
point and then I will pass on to more generalized subject matter. I come away from the
symposium a confirmed believer in "experimental
management" a term coined by Australian
Scientist, A. M. Gill, in his Friday presentation. This concept to me has remained a
transcendent theme which emerges as the single
most important new direction for land managers
in mediterranean ecosystems. Briefly I say
this because: 1. Major mediterranean biotypes
are badly depleted, 2. This results from the
fact that mediterranean biotypes are in the
path of major adverse social forces, 3.
Scientific research and land management within mediterranean systems has been largely
reactive with primary emphasis upon facilitating the socialization process. 4. Ecological
research in mediterranean systems is still in
its infancy and, therefore, has not been a
moderating force in this process. 5. All of
this boils down to historic and current management schemes which attempt to alter, destabilize
and replace major components of the mediterranean
ecosystem. In short, Pest Control emerges as
the underlying theme of land management within
the mediterranean ecosystem.
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Experimental management seems to me to be
not only the way to reverse old practices, but
also can be readily integrated into existing
management as a means for assumption testing and
evaluation of gross impacts to ecological systems
which result from our management schemes. I am
heartily in favor of such "experimental management" which is nothing more than a scientifically
credible monitoring process which helps establish
acceptable management practices while isolating
others which are unacceptable. With these
observations, let me pass on to the question of
future symposia.
What of symposia planners of the future?
Their job will be to reconcile the growing
differences between two great power bases which
now operate within the context of mediterranean
ecosystems. On the one hand are those forces
mentioned in (3) above, the purveyors of sociopolitico mandates which strive to develop and
utilize ecosystem resources. Historically that
power base has exerted a will aimed at controlling natural forces - taming recalcitrant nature,
altering, changing, modifying again the Pest
Control directive.
On the other hand is an emerging environmental ethic embraced by both citizen and
scientist alike which tests old assumptions and
challenges historic premises of land management.
I believe that future planners and program
designers will meet their greatest challenge in
developing an integrative approach to educating
these two groups. I would suggest that some
balance between open and frank discussion and
more subtle, less direct methods will meet this
need. Perhaps the services of a consulting
psychologist who specializes in communication
and group dynamics is worth considering.
All of this is to say firmly that I believe in the value of such exchanges and I would
like to see this first attempt perpetuated. I
am optimistic that persistent efforts will be
rewarded. I personally hope to attend the next
symposium.
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In my closing statements let me speak as a
private citizen who maintains the disquieting
feeling that management of public lands today
is not that good. Certainly lands held by the
private sector are atrociously managed. Government does not seem to be able to effect much
change in what I perceive to be a worsening
picture. I feel as though the symposium enhanced
that feeling and particularly since I now have a
new awareness about the problems of land management in foreign fields.
Certainly this situation is perpetuated by
the very bad image of our native shrub lands,
the primary cover type in mediterranean systems.
This bad image results primarily from those
social factors outlined above which speak to
the high habitation potential of chaparral lands
and the pernicious growth habit of the mediteranean shrub complex, which unfortunately also
appears to be rather homogeneous in color,
texture and distribution, attributes which are
sure to engender in some feelings of dislike
while in others absolute detestation.
I also sense that there exists a kind of
public attitude x government attitude syndrome
which results in the perpetuation of this bad
image about mediterranean landscapes with their
associated drab cover types and unexciting
faunal habitats. I somehow get the feeling
that what we would really like to do with these
systems is completely make them over to something more like our image of "what they should
be", which is mostly different from what they
really are.
Is it too much to ask for a symposium
like this one to strive for a greater feeling
of acceptance for this natural ecosystem and to
somehow effect an altered state of consciousness
about these lands in those of us who manage
them? As a private citizen, I would only hope
that the chief aim of future symposia will be
to achieve this most exalted objective - to
understand, to acquiesce, to live in harmony
with our natural world. If those who attend
such symposia do not do this, then who will?