A Tour of the Book
(i.e., old growth); and maintenance of regional
economies and societal landscape values.
Integrated ecological assessments are commonly
conducted when major land management or regulatory decisions need to be reevaluated. The need
for an ecological assessment is identified through
ongoing monitoring efforts (Figure 1) based on one
or more of the following criteria: (1) initial assumptions change as new knowledge is obtained,
(2) social values and needs change, and (3) significant unexpected change occurs in important
ecosystem patterns or processes (Lessard et al.,
1999).
To best answer critical land management or regulatory questions, integrated ecological assessments often involve comprehensive descriptions of
an area's past, present, and potential future conditions. They synthesize our knowledge of ecological systems by describing the biophysical and social limits of a system, the interrelation of its
components, and the uncertainty and assumptions
that underlie a given assessment effort. For federal
land managers, ecological assessments are not decision documents, because they do not resolve issues or provide direct answers to specific problems.
Instead, they provide the foundation for proposed
additions or changes to existing land management
direction, as well as the necessary information for
policy discussions and decisions (Haynes et aI.,
1996).
The decision-making component of adaptive resource management (Figure 1) typically involves
the articulation of a set of desired ecological conditions for an assessment area, evaluation of different alternatives for achieving desired conditions,
and the selection of the preferred alternative. Such
decisions are documented in appropriate NEP A
documents, such as environmental impact statements (for proposed actions with significant environmental effects) and environmental assessments
(for proposed actions with nonsignificant environmental effects). Although the term condition implies a static point in time, in reality, ecosystems
are dynamic. Therefore, the desired ecological conditions (or more commonly the desired future conditions) for an assessment area must be described
in measurable terms across multiple time periods.
The use of ecological modeling and scenario planning in integrated ecological assessments can
greatly reduce the complexity of describing desired
future conditions in the decision-making process
(Haynes et aI., 1996; Lessard et al., 1999; Bourgeron et aI., 2001).
Implementation is the process of turning plans
5
and decisions into projects and practices on the
ground, establishing mutual learning experiences
for all involved groups, and realizing the projected
outcomes of planning (Haynes et aI., 1996). This
component of adaptive resource management (Figure 1) is where inputs are transformed to outputs
and where communities dependent on the flow of
goods and services place emphasis (in other words,
where "real work" occurs). Accordingly, principles
of adaptive management must be utilized in this
step of the planning process to ensure that decisions are informed; that they gain understanding,
acceptance, and support by a wide audience; that
they recognize their inherent uncertainty; and that
they are capable of adjustment in the face of
surprise.
A Tour of the Book
The chapters in this book range from overviews of
basic ecological principles, to suggestions concerning ecosystem characterization and analysis, to
systematic reviews of selected case studies. Our initial objective in designing this book was to provide
a "how to" description of protocols for integrated
ecological assessments. As we progressed in our
efforts, however, it rapidly became apparent that
there is no single correct set of protocol for ecological assessments; the diversity of issues, spatial
scales, and ecosystem patterns and process relations that they must address is simply too great. Accordingly, we have organized this book into a more
generic set of issues (sections) and topics (chapters) common to most integrated ecological assessments. In this respect, our book provides both
theoretical and practical advice for future ecological assessments given specific land-use planning
objectives. In this portion of the introduction, we
first take the reader on a quick tour of the book to
explain how we have ordered the chapters by topical sections. In the second part, we present a general procedural framework for integrated ecological assessments, with notes on how the chapters of
this book fit the framework.
This book is comprised of eight sections and 35
chapters. In Section A (Basic Principles), we present four chapters that describe the fundamental
principles of landscape ecology (Naveh and Lieberman, 1984; Forman and Godron, 1986; Golley,
1994), conservation biology (Hunter, 1991; Bourgeron and Jensen, 1994), and adaptive management
(Holling, 1978; Walters, 1986; WaLters and Holling, 1990; Everett et aI., 1994) that should be con-
(i.e., old growth); and maintenance of regional
economies and societal landscape values.
Integrated ecological assessments are commonly
conducted when major land management or regulatory decisions need to be reevaluated. The need
for an ecological assessment is identified through
ongoing monitoring efforts (Figure 1) based on one
or more of the following criteria: (1) initial assumptions change as new knowledge is obtained,
(2) social values and needs change, and (3) significant unexpected change occurs in important
ecosystem patterns or processes (Lessard et al.,
1999).
To best answer critical land management or regulatory questions, integrated ecological assessments often involve comprehensive descriptions of
an area's past, present, and potential future conditions. They synthesize our knowledge of ecological systems by describing the biophysical and social limits of a system, the interrelation of its
components, and the uncertainty and assumptions
that underlie a given assessment effort. For federal
land managers, ecological assessments are not decision documents, because they do not resolve issues or provide direct answers to specific problems.
Instead, they provide the foundation for proposed
additions or changes to existing land management
direction, as well as the necessary information for
policy discussions and decisions (Haynes et aI.,
1996).
The decision-making component of adaptive resource management (Figure 1) typically involves
the articulation of a set of desired ecological conditions for an assessment area, evaluation of different alternatives for achieving desired conditions,
and the selection of the preferred alternative. Such
decisions are documented in appropriate NEP A
documents, such as environmental impact statements (for proposed actions with significant environmental effects) and environmental assessments
(for proposed actions with nonsignificant environmental effects). Although the term condition implies a static point in time, in reality, ecosystems
are dynamic. Therefore, the desired ecological conditions (or more commonly the desired future conditions) for an assessment area must be described
in measurable terms across multiple time periods.
The use of ecological modeling and scenario planning in integrated ecological assessments can
greatly reduce the complexity of describing desired
future conditions in the decision-making process
(Haynes et aI., 1996; Lessard et al., 1999; Bourgeron et aI., 2001).
Implementation is the process of turning plans
5
and decisions into projects and practices on the
ground, establishing mutual learning experiences
for all involved groups, and realizing the projected
outcomes of planning (Haynes et aI., 1996). This
component of adaptive resource management (Figure 1) is where inputs are transformed to outputs
and where communities dependent on the flow of
goods and services place emphasis (in other words,
where "real work" occurs). Accordingly, principles
of adaptive management must be utilized in this
step of the planning process to ensure that decisions are informed; that they gain understanding,
acceptance, and support by a wide audience; that
they recognize their inherent uncertainty; and that
they are capable of adjustment in the face of
surprise.
A Tour of the Book
The chapters in this book range from overviews of
basic ecological principles, to suggestions concerning ecosystem characterization and analysis, to
systematic reviews of selected case studies. Our initial objective in designing this book was to provide
a "how to" description of protocols for integrated
ecological assessments. As we progressed in our
efforts, however, it rapidly became apparent that
there is no single correct set of protocol for ecological assessments; the diversity of issues, spatial
scales, and ecosystem patterns and process relations that they must address is simply too great. Accordingly, we have organized this book into a more
generic set of issues (sections) and topics (chapters) common to most integrated ecological assessments. In this respect, our book provides both
theoretical and practical advice for future ecological assessments given specific land-use planning
objectives. In this portion of the introduction, we
first take the reader on a quick tour of the book to
explain how we have ordered the chapters by topical sections. In the second part, we present a general procedural framework for integrated ecological assessments, with notes on how the chapters of
this book fit the framework.
This book is comprised of eight sections and 35
chapters. In Section A (Basic Principles), we present four chapters that describe the fundamental
principles of landscape ecology (Naveh and Lieberman, 1984; Forman and Godron, 1986; Golley,
1994), conservation biology (Hunter, 1991; Bourgeron and Jensen, 1994), and adaptive management
(Holling, 1978; Walters, 1986; WaLters and Holling, 1990; Everett et aI., 1994) that should be con-