Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Review Method: Peer Reviewed
Abstract: Ecosystem management (EM), a paradigm for managing natural resources and the environment, gained popularity in the early 1990s due to changes in scientific knowledge, social values, and political support. In fact, by 1994, EM had been adopted by 18 federal agencies including the four major federal land management agencies. While research regarding EM implementation in the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has already been conducted, very little is known about EM implementation by the largest federal land owner – the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Additionally, there is a need for greater understanding of the factors likely to impact successful EM implementation across agencies. The BLM and USFS provide an interesting comparison because prior studies suggest that the BLM might be a more effective implementer of the social aspects of EM (i.e. collaboration) while the Forest Service might be a more effective implementer of EM overall. This study tests this hypothesis with a comprehensive survey of line-authority personnel in both agencies. Perceptions regarding implementation efforts and barriers to implementation are also investigated through a series of semi-structured interviews with BLM and USFS line personnel in one region of one western state. Perceptions obtained from both questionnaire and interview data found that employees in both agencies believe they are strongest at collaborative stewardship, integration of scientific information and interagency cooperation, while weakest at monitoring and adaptive management. Consequently, regardless of agency or geography, it appears that certain components of EM are easier to implement than others.