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Natural Resource Management
BIO 478T, GRG 476T, BIO 384K-19 Ecology, Conservation and Restoration – in Practice BIO n437 |
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Natural resource
management, conservation and restoration are applications of
ecological principles by humans. Judgment of success is from the
human perspective. The scale of application is variable within
the "human scale" of activity – yet manifested and viewed from
global down to small acreages and households, even to the
microscopic. Regulations and laws may be assets, or impediments,
depending on their adaptability to local and temporal conditions
and subject to skillful implementation over time. Economics may
produce strong forces that support or undermine success. The
perspective of individuals or groups of individuals often
conflict with the needed changes and management activities.
Although conservation and restoration are science based
activities, we know far less than we need to have a routine
procedure to follow. Therefore, our management actions must
address the processes of conservation and restoration on an
appropriate scale and then be maintained for an extended time
with appropriate mid-course corrections for our ecological
objectives to be approached.
The single greatest difficulty for achieving desired results becomes that of unrecognized human ignorance acted upon with overconfidence. In practice, successful management of natural resources, conservation and restoration must coordinate complex time-dependent ecosystem processes with human dynamics. We need a clear understanding of our self and how we either facilitate or hinder the progress toward healthy ecosystem functions. Successful management implies continuous learning. |
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Grading: Read about the Learning Record, Online: Background & This class |
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| Course Content: For information about Topics and Activities, team projects, and the lecture schedule, see the online "Syllabus". | |||
| Recognition and Awards: See: EPA (pdf); Suzuki-Dressel; | |||
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©R.
H. Richardson |
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