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Natural Resource Management
BIO 478T, GRG 476T, BIO 384K-19
Ecology, Conservation
and Restoration – in Practice
BIO n437, GRG n456t |
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Online Textbook |
About Us |
Syllabus |
News |
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Natural resource management, conservation and restoration are applications
of ecological principles by humans. Judgment of success is from the
human perspective. The scale of application is variable within the
"human scale" of activity – yet manifested and viewed
from global down to small acreages and households, even to the
microscopic. Regulations and laws may be assets, or impediments,
depending on their adaptability to local and temporal conditions and
subject to skillful implementation over time. Economics may produce strong forces that
support or undermine success. The perspective of individuals or groups of individuals often conflict with the needed changes and management activities. Although conservation and restoration are science based activities, we know far less than we need to have a routine procedure to follow. Therefore,
our management actions must address the processes of conservation and restoration on an appropriate scale and
then be maintained for an extended time with appropriate mid-course
corrections for our ecological objectives to be approached.
The single greatest difficulty
for achieving desired results becomes that of unrecognized human
ignorance acted upon with overconfidence. In practice, successful
management of natural resources, conservation
and restoration must coordinate complex time-dependent ecosystem
processes with human dynamics. We need a clear understanding of our self
and how we either facilitate or hinder the progress toward healthy
ecosystem functions. Successful management implies continuous
learning. |
Grading: Read about the
Learning Record, Online:
Background |
| Course Content: For information about
Topics
and Activities,
team projects, and the
lecture schedule, see the online
"Syllabus". |
| Recognition and Awards:
See: EPA
(pdf);
Suzuki-Dressel; |
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Info on Teaching Philosophy (From UT SEES Newsletter 2005) |
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©R. H.
Richardson
For permissions |
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