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Using Stakeholders' Values to Apply Ecosystem Management in an Upper Midwest Landscape.
1School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Box 110410, Gainesville, Florida 32611-0410, USA
Environmental Management
|September 15, 1999
Summary
Community members value landscapes for both economic and quality-of-life reasons. They support ecosystem management through education and cooperative planning to achieve mutual goals.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Social Science
- Ecosystem Management
- Human Dimensions of Natural Resources
Background:
- Understanding human values is crucial for effective environmental impact management.
- Community perceptions of landscape value influence support for management practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore landscape values among community members in the Red River Basin.
- To identify preferred ecosystem management practices supported by residents.
Main Methods:
- A two-phase approach involving focus groups and a stakeholder questionnaire.
- Data analysis of landscape values and management preferences from rural and urban groups.
Main Results:
- Stakeholders value the landscape for diverse economic and non-economic reasons, impacting quality of life.
- Management preferences emphasize education and collaborative planning initiatives.
Conclusions:
- Management strategies should incorporate benefits from healthy ecosystems and acknowledge key ecosystem components.
- Enhancing education and cooperative planning fosters mutual goals between land managers and constituents.