16.10.2 The Application of Monitoring Information
to Adaptive Management
Long-term observations are critical for making informed decisions in many environmental management contexts. For example, long-term studies can be important
in quantifying the effectiveness of conservation management activities such as
ecosystem restoration‚ where prolonged periods might be required for systems to
recover following major human disturbance. As opposed to the traditional management characterized by a lack of monitoring, we have opted for “adaptive
management” based on follow-up of actions in order to evaluate the effects of a
treatment submitted to testing. We have put into practice this philosophy in Sierra
Nevada, proposing key questions from the outset, defining the goals to be pursued
with the actions undertaken, and specifying the methodological and analytical
details necessary to address these efforts.
In this sense, several projects are already under way, such as actions for the
naturalization of pine reforestation, monitoring of the effectiveness of post-fire
restoration actions, and analysis of the population dynamics of pine processionary
moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa (see Chap. 8 in Zamora et al. 2016). We are also
collaborating in a LIFE project called ADAPTAMED (protection of key ecosystem
services threatened by climate change through adaptive management of
Mediterranean socioecological systems), led by the Environmental Ministry of the
Regional Government of Andalusia. The project focuses on implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and disseminating adaptive management measures, with an
ecosystem approach. The project objectives aim to reduce the negative impact of
climatic change in the area of influence of Natural Protected Areas. As a result, an
increase in the resilience of the socio-ecosystems concerned is expected, in such a
way that their future provision of services will also be improved, in comparison to
the scenario of no intervention.
16.10.3 Last, But not the Least: Maintaining Monitoring
Over the Long Term
Global change monitoring programmes arise from the visionary effort of some
people, but must survive those founding individuals with the challenge to survive
the year-to-year political vagaries through consolidation of monitoring programmes
into the existing research institutions (Universities, National Research Agencies)
and environmental management institutions (public authorities responsible for
environmental management). Research institutions have to vertebrate short-term
research ordinarily engaged by individual researchers into long-term research and
monitoring programme to ensure the continuity for collecting, documenting,
16 Monitoring Global Change in High Mountains
407
to Adaptive Management
Long-term observations are critical for making informed decisions in many environmental management contexts. For example, long-term studies can be important
in quantifying the effectiveness of conservation management activities such as
ecosystem restoration‚ where prolonged periods might be required for systems to
recover following major human disturbance. As opposed to the traditional management characterized by a lack of monitoring, we have opted for “adaptive
management” based on follow-up of actions in order to evaluate the effects of a
treatment submitted to testing. We have put into practice this philosophy in Sierra
Nevada, proposing key questions from the outset, defining the goals to be pursued
with the actions undertaken, and specifying the methodological and analytical
details necessary to address these efforts.
In this sense, several projects are already under way, such as actions for the
naturalization of pine reforestation, monitoring of the effectiveness of post-fire
restoration actions, and analysis of the population dynamics of pine processionary
moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa (see Chap. 8 in Zamora et al. 2016). We are also
collaborating in a LIFE project called ADAPTAMED (protection of key ecosystem
services threatened by climate change through adaptive management of
Mediterranean socioecological systems), led by the Environmental Ministry of the
Regional Government of Andalusia. The project focuses on implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and disseminating adaptive management measures, with an
ecosystem approach. The project objectives aim to reduce the negative impact of
climatic change in the area of influence of Natural Protected Areas. As a result, an
increase in the resilience of the socio-ecosystems concerned is expected, in such a
way that their future provision of services will also be improved, in comparison to
the scenario of no intervention.
16.10.3 Last, But not the Least: Maintaining Monitoring
Over the Long Term
Global change monitoring programmes arise from the visionary effort of some
people, but must survive those founding individuals with the challenge to survive
the year-to-year political vagaries through consolidation of monitoring programmes
into the existing research institutions (Universities, National Research Agencies)
and environmental management institutions (public authorities responsible for
environmental management). Research institutions have to vertebrate short-term
research ordinarily engaged by individual researchers into long-term research and
monitoring programme to ensure the continuity for collecting, documenting,
16 Monitoring Global Change in High Mountains
407