expertise to create a broad knowledge base. Where appropriate, available
models were applied to great advantage. In addition, the SAA influenced
subsequent modeling in two ways. (1) It defined a set of critical issues that
needed to be addressed with models. For example, following the assessment,
national forest managers spent more effort analyzing forest-age structures
in their planning analysis. (2) It also defined needs for new models and
provided impetus for subsequent model development and analysis. One
example is the development of landscape-level models for forecasting land
development in the Southern Appalachians (Wear and Bolstad 1998).
The introduction to the SAA report describes the effort as something
analogous to a medical checkup for an ecosystem. In many ways, this
metaphor captures the spirit of an effort designed as an anticipatory rather
than a problem-solving analysis. The outcomes of the assessment also need
to be viewed in this light (i.e., as a means to shed light on current conditions, emerging trends, and potential emerging problems). Ultimately, the
success of an effort like the SAA needs to be evaluated in terms of its
contribution to improving the overall quality of natural resource decisions.
This type of evaluation is difficult because many of the resource issues that
public land managers address are extremely complex, dynamic, and perhaps
intractable. The adaptive nature of ecosystem management suggests that
the management approach as well as the resource questions will change
over time. The SAA or any other effort of its kind is necessarily directed
at a moving target.
4.2 Motivation for the Assessment
Southern Appalachia has a strong regional identity related both to its
unique and diverse natural setting and its unique and, until relatively
recently, somewhat isolated culture. It is essentially a rural place with 70%
of the land area in forest cover and another 15% in agricultural uses
(SAMAB 1996d). While public ownership is small compared to western
parts of the United States, the 17% of the land that is in various federal and
state ownerships defines one of the highest concentrations of public lands
east of the Mississippi.
A convergence of changes and controversies had, by the early 1990s,
defined the need for a broadly inclusive ecological/social assessment in the
Southern Appalachians. Public land management, in general, and national
forest management, in particular, were becoming increasingly contentious
throughout the United States. During this period, management philosophies were shifting toward landscape-level ecosystem management, but
specific ecosystem management strategies had yet to be defined. In addition, the integration of local economies and culture with the nation’s
economy and culture as a whole had led to an important set of social
changes [e.g., changing employment patterns and perspectives on resource
4. Large-Scale Regional Assessments
71
models were applied to great advantage. In addition, the SAA influenced
subsequent modeling in two ways. (1) It defined a set of critical issues that
needed to be addressed with models. For example, following the assessment,
national forest managers spent more effort analyzing forest-age structures
in their planning analysis. (2) It also defined needs for new models and
provided impetus for subsequent model development and analysis. One
example is the development of landscape-level models for forecasting land
development in the Southern Appalachians (Wear and Bolstad 1998).
The introduction to the SAA report describes the effort as something
analogous to a medical checkup for an ecosystem. In many ways, this
metaphor captures the spirit of an effort designed as an anticipatory rather
than a problem-solving analysis. The outcomes of the assessment also need
to be viewed in this light (i.e., as a means to shed light on current conditions, emerging trends, and potential emerging problems). Ultimately, the
success of an effort like the SAA needs to be evaluated in terms of its
contribution to improving the overall quality of natural resource decisions.
This type of evaluation is difficult because many of the resource issues that
public land managers address are extremely complex, dynamic, and perhaps
intractable. The adaptive nature of ecosystem management suggests that
the management approach as well as the resource questions will change
over time. The SAA or any other effort of its kind is necessarily directed
at a moving target.
4.2 Motivation for the Assessment
Southern Appalachia has a strong regional identity related both to its
unique and diverse natural setting and its unique and, until relatively
recently, somewhat isolated culture. It is essentially a rural place with 70%
of the land area in forest cover and another 15% in agricultural uses
(SAMAB 1996d). While public ownership is small compared to western
parts of the United States, the 17% of the land that is in various federal and
state ownerships defines one of the highest concentrations of public lands
east of the Mississippi.
A convergence of changes and controversies had, by the early 1990s,
defined the need for a broadly inclusive ecological/social assessment in the
Southern Appalachians. Public land management, in general, and national
forest management, in particular, were becoming increasingly contentious
throughout the United States. During this period, management philosophies were shifting toward landscape-level ecosystem management, but
specific ecosystem management strategies had yet to be defined. In addition, the integration of local economies and culture with the nation’s
economy and culture as a whole had led to an important set of social
changes [e.g., changing employment patterns and perspectives on resource
4. Large-Scale Regional Assessments
71