THE PROCESS OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND THE

Transcription

1 WMAN 175: Introduction to Wildlife and Fisheries Resources THE PROCESS OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND THE ROLE OF SCIENCE Petty Notes February 21, 2008

2 Educational Goal of the Wildlife and Fisheries Resources Program Broadly train students to be effective scientists and managers of natural resources, which are part of our state s and nation s public trust.

3 What is a Natural Resource? ORGANISMS Population Dynamics Behavior Life History HABITATS Water Quality Habitat Quality Ecological Interactions PEOPLE Sociology Economics Politics Social Justice

4 Whitetail Deer

5 Largemouth Bass

6 Endangered Pacific Salmons and dtrouts Chinook Alaska Cutthroat Humpback Coho Golden Trout

7 Cranesville Swamp

8 Chesapeake Bay

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11 Mountain Top Mining, WV

12 What is a Natural Resource? ORGANISMS Population Dynamics Behavior Life History HABITATS Water Quality Habitat Quality Ecological Interactions PEOPLE Sociology Economics Politics Social Justice

13 Definition of Natural Resource Management Use of ecological, l economic, political, l and socio-cultural information in a decision making process that results in actions (e.g., regulations, restoration activities) to achieve goals established for natural resources.

14 Forces that Shape Management 1. ECOLOGY - the ecosystem within which species of interest complete their life cycles (includes biotic and abiotic factors). 2. ECONOMICS O CS - marketplace ace and nonmarket forces that influence monetary valuation of resources. 3. POLITICS - laws and official policies of government, as well as personal values of government employees who interpret and enforce policy. 4 SOCIOCULTURAL 4. SOCIOCULTURAL - traditions, values, norms, religions, philosophies (***provides the primary motivation for resource management to occur resources are managed because the end products of the management process are believed to have value to society).

15 Resource Management as a Team Sport Members (i.e., the STAKEHOLDER group): Individuals with a General Ecological Science Background Specialized Ecologists Economists Policy Experts Social Scientists Fed / State Agencies with Jurisdiction Public

16 PROCESS OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (aka Adaptive Management ) Set Long-Range Goals State Near-Term Objectives Identify Limiting Factors Implement Management Actions Evaluate Action Effectiveness Revise Management Plan The process depends on the interplay of Scientific Research and Socio-Economic Value Systems. The real challenge is determining when Science takes The real challenge is determining when Science takes Precedence over Values and vice versa.

17 The Resource Management Process Goals: Long-term statements about what management programs are to achieve. Objectives: Specific, measurable expected outcomes that indicate achievement or progress toward attainment of goals. Must state When! Problems: Factors (ecological, economic, political, sociocultural) expected to impede achievement of goals and objectives.

18 The Resource Management Process Actions: Activities chosen and implemented to overcome problems. Evaluation: Determines whether the actions implemented have helped to solve problems and achieve goals and objectives. Revision: Changes in the management program based on findings from the evaluation process (did the actions work? Why or why not? What can be done to better achieve goals?).

19 The Role of Science in Management Scientific Research is Used To: Set reasonable, measurable objectives for the resource. Assess current conditions within the system of interest. Identify factors potentially ti limiting iti the value of the resource. Predict the response of the resource to various management actions and set action priorities. Provide preliminary information that can be used to Provide preliminary information that can be used to evaluate the effects of management actions.

20 The Process of Natural Resource Management Applied to the Upper Shavers Fork Watershed

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22 13 Brook Trout from Shavers Fork

23 15 Brown Trout from Shavers Fork

24 LONG-RANGE GOAL RESTORE THE NATIVE RED SPRUCE ECOSYSTEM AND ITS ASSOCIATED AQUATIC RESOURCES TO HISTORIC LEVELS (I.E., PRE 1900) OF STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND PRODUCTIVITY VALUES & SCIENCE

25 By the year 2015: NEAR-TERM OBJECTIVES Increase total coverage of red spruce in riparian zones by 100% and in upland terrestrial zones by 50%. Increase the abundance of adult brook trout in the Twin Trestles (TT) region of the watershed from 0.1 indiv. / m to 0.3 indiv. / m (as determined from single pass electrofishing techniques conducted in late May). Increase mean adult size of brook trout in the TT region from 125mm to 150mm. Increase the abundance of adult brook trout in the Black Fork (BF) region from 0.01 indiv./m to 0.05 /m. Increase mean adult size of brook trout in the BF region from 100mm to 125mm. Increase young-of-the-year abundance in upstream sections of Second Fork from 0.1 / m to 0.25 / m. SCIENCE & VALUES

26 LIMITING FACTORS 1. Acidification and loss of alkalinity from acid precipitation in headwater streams (limits trout reproduction and food availability). 2. High summer temperatures in the Shavers Fork mainstem during prolonged periods of low precipitation (limits trout growth and survivorship). 3. Low instream complexity in the Shavers Fork mainstem in the form of large boulders and large woody debris (limits growth and survivorship of trout). 4. Railroad grade (disruption of natural fluvial processes and affects cold water inputs from small tributaries. 5. Fishing mortality, especially during early spring. 6. High sediment loads entering streams from roads and other development activities (limits food availability and foraging success. 7. Ice scour (affects habitat complexity and exacerbates stream widening and loss of riparian vegetation. SCIENCE

27 MANAGEMENT ACTIONS 1. Reduce acid loads and treat acidified tributaries at their source wherever possible. 2. Improve culverting to restore links between tributaries and the mainstem. 3. Initiate more restrictive fishing regulations to protect a greater proportion of the adult brook trout population. 4. Restore riparian vegetation to critical heating zones and throughout the basin where appropriate. 5. Aggressive restructuring of the main channel in priority locations. 6. Additions of Large Woody Debris and Boulders. 7. Close and/or regrade roads; Implement aggressive controls of sediment sources during construction ti activities. iti SCIENCE & VALUES Science is used to prioritize actions; Values are used to refine the list of actions to those that are acceptable to all.

28 EVALUATION SCIENCE REVISION SCIENCE & VALUES

29 TAKE HOME MESSAGE Natural Resource Management depends on the Interplay of Scientific Research and Socio- Economic Value Systems Through objective scientific research, biologists can inform, but not define, the management process. Natural Resource Managers cannot simply be good Biologists. They must also have a working knowledge of Policy, Economics, and Social Sciences. Natural Resource Managers must engage the public in the Management Process early on.