As human beings living in a complex industrial society, it may seem that we are separate from the environments we live in. However, it is becoming quite clear that our actions have a much greater impact on our surroundings than we previously realized. The principles of ecology posit that humans are an integral component of the cyclical, interwoven, and diverse ecosystems that we inhabit across the globe. Our reliance on natural resources is a reality that unites us with all other life forms, yet we face many obstacles in moving toward the sustainability of our relationships with those resources. Thus, it is more urgent than ever that we work to understand new ways of interacting with our various ecosystems in order to maintain a renewable capacity for meeting our needs. The practice of ecosystem management may have answers.

What Is Ecosystem Management?

Ecosystem management is based on empirical research that is location-specific and regularly updated to best reflect the actual dynamics at play. From a theoretical perspective, ecosystem management openly acknowledges the interconnection of human activity and ecological phenomena, thereby concerning itself with entire systems rather than individual elements. Its core focus is one of developing policies and procedures that allow us to harness the appropriate materials we need to survive while conserving the natural sources of those materials.

What Do Ecosystem Managers Do?

Those who work in ecosystem management confer with all levels of local and regional government, alongside business stakeholders, concerned citizens, and tribal groups to make well-informed decisions about issues like overfishing, deforestation, water pollution, and fire mitigation. The goal is to reverse any damage that human influence has had by consciously recognizing our role in maintaining equilibrium. Rigorous research is crucial to this effort, as is the appreciation of historically pertinent ecosystem management techniques employed by indigenous peoples. The health of our socioeconomic networks becomes ecologically contextualized under this approach.

Why Is Ecosystem Management Important?

You may be asking yourself how to apply this information to your own life and work. Well, even if you are not a scientist, a fisherman, a logger or a farmer, you are probably going to notice the effects of ecological imbalance at some point. In the recent years, extreme weather events like flooding, freezing, hurricanes, and raging wildfires have started to touch down all over the world in unexpected ways. These occurrences have lasting implications that are difficult to predict, including soil erosion, air contamination and loss of essential infrastructure.

Staying informed on environmental concerns has many advantages for individuals and organizations alike. Disaster preparedness can save lives and bring you great peace of mind, while monitoring trends in technological innovation can allow you to adapt your lifestyle accordingly.

For example, areas like southern California have started to implement emergency action plans, like the SCE PSPS (public safety power shutoff), to address post-fire energy failures to large sectors. These kinds of procedures utilize ecosystem management research to continuously adapt to changing circumstances related to natural disaster. Ultimately, the hope is that we can start to prevent these kinds of catastrophes through ecological education and a regenerative relationship to our surroundings. In the meantime, ecosystem management offers practical solutions to the daunting challenges before us.

Cultivating a perception of ecological interdependence will open your mind to incredible new ways of connecting with your local habitat. Maybe you will even start to adopt behaviors that encourage the revitalization of the ecosystems around you. Either way, the implications of this understanding are profound – try to imagine where you would be without food, shelter, water, and clean air to breathe. Consider consulting with ecosystem managers in your area to learn more and get involved.