Ecosystem+Approach

Ecosystem approach: Is finding means to provide sustainability in the environment between humans and the ecosystem (with social, economical and ecological values in balance). This is done through environmental management and trying to find a human-nature fit. An ecosystem approach recognizes how the ecosystem is interconnected and therefore produces a holistic approach to decision making through this. Holistic is emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of all its parts, like the old expression “the whole is more than the sum of its parts". One way the ecosystem approach relates to the Banff case study is with the //National Parks Act// legislation in 1988 where the first priority was to maintain ecological integrity through the protection of natural resources. There are 7 components of an ecosystem approach (with examples from the Banff National Park Case Study) Hierarchical context – everything is interconnected Ecological boundaries – use ecological boundaries for analysis: eg. to protect all different ecosystems of landscape around the park, wetlands, grasslands, forests, etc. Ecological integrity – protecting natural diversity in landscape: eg.protecting the “natural ecosystem” of the park. Monitoring – provides basis for learning: eg. environmentalists studying and researching human affects on the area. Adaptive management – management as learning experience (crucial): eg. throughout the years environmentalist have studied the are and notice a decrease in animal population, so they adapt to this by enforcing strict rules on roads and building permits and population Interagency cooperation - Within and between governments, addressing conflicting legal mandates and management objectives: eg. National Parks Act Human in nature – humans part of rather then separate from nature: eg. protecting the park for future human enjoyment. Values - approach recognizes scientific and traditional knowledge: eg. human values have a dominant role in the setting of goals for ecosystem management