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Adaptive Management in Ecological Restoration
Northern Arizona University, Ecological Research
Institute
Ecologically based restoration is an approach
for re-establishing the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems
while protecting human communities. For ecological restoration to
proceed on sound scientific footing, it must be based on the best
knowledge available, with carefully reasoned analysis and checked
against factual evidence. ESSA designed and facilitated a workshop
for the Northern Arizona University's Ecological Restoration Institute
(ERI) to identify critical areas of research required to accomplish
ecologically-based restoration for southwestern ponderosa pine forest.
This workshop set the stage for designing a series of adaptive management
restoration treatments. ESSA authored a report summarizing the results
of the workshop, as well as the major discussion points, outcomes
and recommendations for next steps.
Subsequent to the workshop, ERI prepared a book
entitled "Ecological Restoration of Southwestern Ponderosa
Pine Forests." This book brings together practitioners and
thinkers from a variety of fields to synthesize what is known about
ecological restoration in southwestern ponderosa pine forests, and
consider the factors involved in developing and implementing a successful
restoration effort. ESSA was asked to author chapter 24 entitled
"Adaptive Management in Ecological Restoration" which
describes how adaptive management can be applied to improve restoration
of southwestern ponderosa pine forests. Excerpts from the book can
be found at www.eri.nau.edu/library/book.htm.
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