Concepts/Approaches to Managing Natural Areas
Concepts/Approaches to Managing Biodiversity and Natural Areas
•Wilderness Management
•Conservation Biology
•Wildlife Management
•Multiple-Use, Natural Areas Management
•Restoration Ecology
•Reconciliation Ecology & Novel Ecosystems
Concepts/Approaches to Managing Biodiversity and Natural Areas
•Wilderness Management
Intervention
•Conservation Biology
•Wildlife Management
•Multiple-Use, Natural Areas Management
•Restoration Ecology
•Reconciliation Ecology & Novel Ecosystems
First, a word about wilderness
http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm
Thomas Cole 1835
First, a word about wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness of the Soul: The Duality of Human Nature:
He cried in a whisper at some image, at some vision—he cried out
twice, a cry that was no more than a breath—"The horror! The
horror!” - Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness
Wilderness as the restorer
"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play
in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and
give strength to body and soul alike."
- John Muir, The Yosemite, 1912.
First, a word about wilderness
The wilderness act
http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=legisAct
First, a word about wilderness
Untrammeled by man?
Wilderness and the preservationist ethic.
Preservationist, Conservationist, Restorationist
Conservation Biology
For reasons that are probably more
sociological/semantic than scientific, the
field of Conservation Biology has
generally focused on wildlife.
General concept, is to “conserve”
Often tangled up with large mammals
and top-down processes, conservation
generally wants us to think about
landscapes, and managing habitats.
Focus on endangered species.
Managing conflict with people…
Dr. John Cox, a conservation biologist
Conservation Biology
Conservation Biology
Conservation Biology
Wildlife Management
Wildlife management is generally applied
population biology. Providing resources to
species to push up the population numbers, and
also managing the number of animals killed.
Wildlife management is closely aligned with
hunting and “sportsman” and many time the
management objectives is making sure enough
animals are alive to ensure there are enough
around for hunters to have fun killing them.
Wildlife management, traditionally, is focused on
“game” animals (a.k.a: Game Management) and
can include some very interventionist practices
(e.g. purposely planting corn for deer).
Note that sportsman provide a LOT of money for
“ecology” in the way of hunting licenses, and
some of the best friends of conservation are
hunting groups. Examples- Ducks Unlimited, The
Wild Turkey Federation.
Multiple- Use Management
Relatively self explanatory…this, approach
which has been de facto adopted by the
National Park Service , metroparks, the US
Forest Service, and so forth, asks the land
to provide various needs simultaneously.
In particular, a general scheme involves:
-Watershed Management (water quality)
-Recreation
-Wildlife Management
-Forestry (timber)
This kind of approach may or may not
include “conservation” and if so, often
quite targeted. Perhaps a resource which
draws tourists…not necessarily ecologically
focused.
To some extent was replaced with
“Ecosystem Management”
Ecological Restoration
-The landscape of eastern North America has been almost
completely transformed.
-Indeed, there is virtually no square centimeter on Earth that
has not been in some way influenced by anthropogenic
processes, in many cases these exceed the ecological and
evolutionary “boundaries” of these systems, leaving them in
shambles.
- If we accept the argument that ecological systems are
essential to the flourishing of human societies, then we
would logically find this level of disrepair unacceptable.
-Even the most conservative approach would seek an
“ecological bulwark” of functioning ecosystems in an everchanging world.
- To some extent, the job of Science, is to address (the addressable) perils facing humanity.
-The science of ecology has sub-divided into several disciplinary approaches to dealing with
the “crisis.”
1) Conservation Biology . As a discipline is focused on who is left, and how do we preserve
them. But in practice , this field has also focused on re-introductions, particularly of
predators and/or endangered species.
2) Restoration Ecology. The scientific study of restoring ecosystems . Focused on
answering questions in ecology, developing theory to inform science, and theory in the
field.
3) Ecological Restoration. The practice of restoring ecosystems. Field based…outcomes are
ecological not necessarily scientific.
4) Reconciliation Ecology. A new idea. Will discuss on Friday
-Ecological restoration is the practice of returning a system to some historical
state, presumably one that is ecologically superior in important ways.
-Ecological systems are dynamic..not static, they change through time…so how do
we know where to restore to?
-Ecological restoration recognizes this… So instead of focusing on specific current
states and future outcomes, we imagine an envelope of variability. The system is
changing…sometimes rapidly… we want to change the trajectory…sometimes
radically. We force the system back within some natural envelope of variability.
Involves significant intervention!
-Join me next fall- BIO 409 & 409L to learn more…
Concepts/Approaches to Managing Biodiversity and Natural Areas
•Wilderness Management
Intervention
•Conservation Biology
•Wildlife Management
•Multiple-Use, Natural Areas Management
•Restoration Ecology
•Reconciliation Ecology & Novel Ecosystems