4
R.K. Turner . W. Salomons
ganisms react to each other and to the environment (Steele 1991). This diversity concept encourages analysts to take a wider perspective and to examine change in largescale ecological processes, together with the relevant socio-economic driving forces
causing loss. The focus is then on the ability of interdependent ecological-economic
systems to maintain functionality under a range of stress and shock conditions. Marine and terrestrial ecosystems differ significantly in their functional responses to
environmental change and this will have practical implications for management strategies. Thus although marine systems may be much more sensitive to changes in their
environments, they may also be much more resilient (i.e. more adaptable in terms of
their recovery responses to stress and shock).
The sustainable utilisation of resources principle will be a key component of any
future coastal management strategy. A real challenge will be to demonstrate in practicli\ ways both the Total Economic Value (TEV) of coastal resources (use and non-use
values) and capture mechanisms by which local people can participate in an equitable
sharing of income and assets connected to the management of coastal zones under
development pressures. 'furner and Bower argue that the rate of social return derived
from environmental conservation - motivated activities needs to be compared with
the rate of return available from alternative development options, allowing for the prior
correction of any existing market and institutional failures. Their approach is not
reductionist in the sense that it neglects the overall systems perspective that is key to
the understanding of the environmental change process. Rather it is narrowly drawn
initially, at the level of individual ecosystem-functions), only in order to provide analytical rigour, as well as practical regulatory/policy relevance. At no time is the overall
value of a healthy evolving set of environmental systems lost sight of. The term TEV is
meant to describe, when appropriate, an aggregation of use values and other non-use
(option and existence) values, in cases where it is feasible and meaningful to quantify
such values in monetary terms, see Fig. 0.2. TEV is therefore less than total system value
which incorporates the life support function and maybe other dimensions of environmental value such as intrinsic value i.e. the value of a saltmarsh or mangrove, for example, that resides in itself rather than of itself (Turner and Pearce 1993).
The second chapter by Burbridge focuses on the management challenges posed by
the sustainable utilisation of coastal resources principle. It advocates the adoption of
multiple-use management approaches in coastal areas i.e. where the choice of management boundaries for coastal systems is again based on functions and critical linkages" with other systems, similar to approaches adopted in watershed management.
According to Burbridge the management of processes is more important than management of uses and the relevant management institutions need to move beyond their
traditional sectorally-based approaches. Developing the political will to improve the
sustainability of the process of planning for, and management of coastal ecosystems is
also he believes proving to be problematic. One of a number of requirements for such
an improvement will be increased scientific understanding of the working of coastal
systems.
The chapters by Underwood and Wolanski deal with aspects of eZM from the ecology and the physical science viewpoint respectively. The necessity for including the
ecological sciences in a bottom-up approach is stressed in particular. However, the
popular focus on key species to "charismatic" animals or plants does not do justice to
the complexity and dynamic nature of an ecosystem. The best current approach is to
R.K. Turner . W. Salomons
ganisms react to each other and to the environment (Steele 1991). This diversity concept encourages analysts to take a wider perspective and to examine change in largescale ecological processes, together with the relevant socio-economic driving forces
causing loss. The focus is then on the ability of interdependent ecological-economic
systems to maintain functionality under a range of stress and shock conditions. Marine and terrestrial ecosystems differ significantly in their functional responses to
environmental change and this will have practical implications for management strategies. Thus although marine systems may be much more sensitive to changes in their
environments, they may also be much more resilient (i.e. more adaptable in terms of
their recovery responses to stress and shock).
The sustainable utilisation of resources principle will be a key component of any
future coastal management strategy. A real challenge will be to demonstrate in practicli\ ways both the Total Economic Value (TEV) of coastal resources (use and non-use
values) and capture mechanisms by which local people can participate in an equitable
sharing of income and assets connected to the management of coastal zones under
development pressures. 'furner and Bower argue that the rate of social return derived
from environmental conservation - motivated activities needs to be compared with
the rate of return available from alternative development options, allowing for the prior
correction of any existing market and institutional failures. Their approach is not
reductionist in the sense that it neglects the overall systems perspective that is key to
the understanding of the environmental change process. Rather it is narrowly drawn
initially, at the level of individual ecosystem-functions), only in order to provide analytical rigour, as well as practical regulatory/policy relevance. At no time is the overall
value of a healthy evolving set of environmental systems lost sight of. The term TEV is
meant to describe, when appropriate, an aggregation of use values and other non-use
(option and existence) values, in cases where it is feasible and meaningful to quantify
such values in monetary terms, see Fig. 0.2. TEV is therefore less than total system value
which incorporates the life support function and maybe other dimensions of environmental value such as intrinsic value i.e. the value of a saltmarsh or mangrove, for example, that resides in itself rather than of itself (Turner and Pearce 1993).
The second chapter by Burbridge focuses on the management challenges posed by
the sustainable utilisation of coastal resources principle. It advocates the adoption of
multiple-use management approaches in coastal areas i.e. where the choice of management boundaries for coastal systems is again based on functions and critical linkages" with other systems, similar to approaches adopted in watershed management.
According to Burbridge the management of processes is more important than management of uses and the relevant management institutions need to move beyond their
traditional sectorally-based approaches. Developing the political will to improve the
sustainability of the process of planning for, and management of coastal ecosystems is
also he believes proving to be problematic. One of a number of requirements for such
an improvement will be increased scientific understanding of the working of coastal
systems.
The chapters by Underwood and Wolanski deal with aspects of eZM from the ecology and the physical science viewpoint respectively. The necessity for including the
ecological sciences in a bottom-up approach is stressed in particular. However, the
popular focus on key species to "charismatic" animals or plants does not do justice to
the complexity and dynamic nature of an ecosystem. The best current approach is to