Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management. Do we need to manage natural resources?

Human DimensionsHuman Dimensionsofof

Natural ResourceNatural ResourceManagementManagement

Do we need to manage natural resources?

...no area on earth can be regarded ...no area on earth can be regarded as truly “natural.”as truly “natural.”

IUCNIUCN

HDNRM is a balancing act HDNRM is a balancing act between use(s) and integritybetween use(s) and integrity

of a natural resourceof a natural resource

Use(s) Integrity

Management

HDNRM is a balancing act HDNRM is a balancing act between use(s) and integritybetween use(s) and integrity

of a natural resourceof a natural resource

Use(s) Integrity

Management

Big Questions in HDNRMBig Questions in HDNRM

WHYWHY

do we manage natural resources?do we manage natural resources?

...and......and...

HOWHOW

do we manage natural resources?do we manage natural resources?

What is HDNRM?What is HDNRM?

...the application of social science ...the application of social science theory and methods to help theory and methods to help understand the cultural, sociological, understand the cultural, sociological, psychological, economic, biological, psychological, economic, biological, and physical aspects of natural and physical aspects of natural resource management and resource management and environmental problem solving. environmental problem solving.

Fulton, Nelson, Anderson, Lime Fulton, Nelson, Anderson, Lime

What is HDNRM?What is HDNRM?...an area of investigation which attempts to ...an area of investigation which attempts to describe, predict, understand and affect human describe, predict, understand and affect human thought and action toward natural thought and action toward natural environments and to acquire such environments and to acquire such understanding for the primary purpose of understanding for the primary purpose of improving stewardship of natural resources. improving stewardship of natural resources. Human dimensions research builds on concepts Human dimensions research builds on concepts and theories from several disciplines including and theories from several disciplines including sociology, psychology, economics, sociology, psychology, economics, anthropology, geography, political science, anthropology, geography, political science, marketing, and education.marketing, and education.

University of Delaware Sea Grant University of Delaware Sea Grant

The domains of HDNRMThe domains of HDNRM

Ecosystemic

PoliticalEconomic

Sociopsychological

HDNRM is a balancing act HDNRM is a balancing act between use(s) and integritybetween use(s) and integrity

of a natural resourceof a natural resource

Use(s) Integrity

Management

Ecocentric view Ecocentric view of natural resourcesof natural resources

Use(s)Integrity

Management

Anthropocentric view Anthropocentric view of natural resourcesof natural resources

Use(s)Integrity

Management

Resource ConflictResource Conflict

Conflict is when the behavior of an Conflict is when the behavior of an individual or group interferes with individual or group interferes with the goals of another individual or the goals of another individual or groupgroup

Goal may be tangible (e.g. market Goal may be tangible (e.g. market valuation) or intangible (e.g. desired valuation) or intangible (e.g. desired experience)experience)

Resource use conflictsResource use conflicts

Outdoor recreationOutdoor recreation WildernessWilderness Wildlife and fish habitatWildlife and fish habitat RangeRange TimberTimber WatershedWatershed Human and community Human and community

developmentdevelopment Oil, gas and mineralsOil, gas and minerals Cultural resourcesCultural resources

ComplementaryComplementary CompetitiveCompetitive SupplementarySupplementary

Dual mandate of HDNRMDual mandate of HDNRM

Providing a quality user experienceProviding a quality user experience Protecting the quality of the Protecting the quality of the

environment and/or resource baseenvironment and/or resource base

Use(s) Integrity

Management

Goal of HDNRM is balancing Goal of HDNRM is balancing acceptable use with protection acceptable use with protection

of the dependent natural of the dependent natural resourcesresources

What is a Resource?What is a Resource?

Resources are productive functions Resources are productive functions and operations performed by tangible and operations performed by tangible substances when used to satisfy a substances when used to satisfy a given end or defined want. Resources given end or defined want. Resources explicitly require objectives and explicitly require objectives and planning agents (managers).planning agents (managers).

Key factors of natural resourcesKey factors of natural resources

Key factors of natural resourcesKey factors of natural resources

UtilityUtility ScarcityScarcity

Classes of natural resourcesClasses of natural resources

StockStock FlowFlow

• ConstantConstant• CyclicalCyclical• VariableVariable

Stock or Flow?Stock or Flow?

Why are natural resourcesWhy are natural resourcesso controversial?so controversial?

Preservation Conservation Exploitation

Simple definition of conservationSimple definition of conservation

A way that we manage our natural A way that we manage our natural resources for sustained output without resources for sustained output without depleting them and/or damaging the depleting them and/or damaging the resource baseresource base

Conservation of stock vs. flow Conservation of stock vs. flow natural resources: natural resources:

The Conservation ContinuumThe Conservation Continuum

0% amount used over time 100%

0% rate of use over time 100%

Conservation of stock vs. flow Conservation of stock vs. flow natural resources: natural resources:

The Conservation ContinuumThe Conservation Continuum

0% amount used over time 100%

0% rate of use over time 100%

Stock Natural Resources

Conservation of stock vs. flow Conservation of stock vs. flow natural resources: natural resources:

The Conservation ContinuumThe Conservation Continuum

0% amount used over time 100%

0% rate of use over time 100%

Stock Natural Resources

Conservation of stock vs. flow Conservation of stock vs. flow natural resources: natural resources:

The Conservation ContinuumThe Conservation Continuum

0% amount used over time 100%

0% rate of use over time 100%

Flow Natural Resources

Conservation of stock vs. flow Conservation of stock vs. flow natural resources: natural resources:

The Conservation ContinuumThe Conservation Continuum

0% amount used over time 100%

0% rate of use over time 100%

Flow Natural Resources

Conservation of stock vs. flow Conservation of stock vs. flow natural resourcesnatural resources

Conservation generally requires Conservation generally requires decreases in present rates of use for decreases in present rates of use for stock and carefully controlled rates of stock and carefully controlled rates of use for flow resourcesuse for flow resources

Examples of management tools that Examples of management tools that can conserve natural resourcescan conserve natural resources

Bag or creel limitsBag or creel limits Court injunctionsCourt injunctions Permit systemsPermit systems Hunting seasonsHunting seasons ReservesReserves EducationEducation PreservationPreservation

What What isis preservation preservationof natural resources?of natural resources?

PreservationPreservation

A management approach which A management approach which attempts to maintain natural attempts to maintain natural ecological integrity and processes ecological integrity and processes through regulation of factors which through regulation of factors which would prove to be disruptivewould prove to be disruptive

EcosystemEcosystem

A community of organisms and their A community of organisms and their physical environment interacting as an physical environment interacting as an ecological systemecological system

Preservation is a management approach Preservation is a management approach which attempts to maintain natural which attempts to maintain natural ecologicalecological integrity and processes through integrity and processes through regulation of factors which would prove to regulation of factors which would prove to be disruptivebe disruptive

Ecological Change in HDNRMEcological Change in HDNRM

Human-InducedChanges

NaturalChanges

No HumanImpact

AcceptableImpact

UnacceptableImpact

Ecological Change in HDNRMEcological Change in HDNRM

Human-InducedChanges

NaturalChanges

No HumanImpact

AcceptableImpact

UnacceptableImpact

limit of acceptable change

Carrying CapacityCarrying Capacity

The maximum population size that can The maximum population size that can be sustained by an environmentbe sustained by an environment

Carrying CapacityCarrying Capacity

The maximum population size that can The maximum population size that can be sustained by an environmentbe sustained by an environment

Weakness of CC in HDNRMWeakness of CC in HDNRM Finding a Finding a singlesingle ecological carrying ecological carrying

capacity that accommodates capacity that accommodates ecological, social and managerial ecological, social and managerial demandsdemands

General Dimensions of Carrying General Dimensions of Carrying Capacity in HDNRMCapacity in HDNRM

Ecological Societal

Managerial

The future of Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management:

The Precautionary Principle

Precautionary PrinciplePrecautionary Principle

When an activity raises threats of When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the harm to human health or the environment,environment, precautionary measures precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships areand effect relationships are not fully not fully established scientifically.established scientifically.

(Wingspread Statement, 1998)(Wingspread Statement, 1998)