Abstract:
The project focuses on nonequilibrium ecosystem dynamics, a body of scientific research that characterizes and interprets ecosystem change. INR summarizes knowledge from this field, describes ways in which the current management framework may be inconsistent with scientific findings, and helps identify options for future management. This paper is designed to be a starting place for a dialog between policy makers, scientists, managers and others that will lead to improved policies and practices.
Description:
Executive Summary p. 5;
Introduction 10;
I. Overview of key concepts 13;
What are nonequilibrium ecosystem dynamics? 13;
The range of variability 18;
Resilience 21;
Management goals for the built environment 23;
Different paradigms for land management 24;
Global climate change and Oregon 27;
Protecting species and habitat 28;
The policy environment 30;
II. Case studies and management questions 34;
Case study #1: Management of aquatic systems 34;
Case study #2: Fuel reduction in Southern Oregon 38;
Case study #3: Fire management strategies 42;
Case study #4: Fire history and landscape level timber
management in the Western Oregon Cascades—The Blue River
Landscape Plan and Study 45;
Case study #5: Fire history and landscape-level timber management
in the Western Oregon Cascades—The Dinner Timber Sale 48;
Case study #6: Incorporating forestry and land use into
Oregon’s global climate change action plans 50;
Case study #7: The CLAMS project and age class and structural
patterns of forest cover in the Oregon Coast Range 55;
Case study #8: The Five Rivers Landscape Management Project
and restoring old forest structure in the Oregon Coast Range 57;
Case study #9: Distribution and management of salmon
habitat in the Oregon Coast Range 60;
III. Summary and synthesis of management implications
and recommendations from case studies 62;
Aquatic systems 62;
Fire and fuels management 64;
Climate change and adaptation 65;
System function and resilience 66;
Lessons learned: Creating the case studies of the future 66;
IV. Creating policy change 71;
The pace of change in natural resource management 71;
Managing policy change 72;
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Hypothetical policy change strategy #1: Incentive-based Willamette
Valley oak conservation 73;
Hypothetical policy change strategy #2: Regulation-based community
fire protection 76;
Hypothetical policy change strategy #3: Planning for biomass utilization
in Eastern Oregon 77;
Hypothetical policy change strategy #4: Long-term land use and
land acquisition planning 78;
Hypothetical policy change strategy #5: Creating an
ecosystem services market for Oregon 78;
Hypothetical policy change strategy #6: Alternative Clean Water Act
implementation (a “hard” framework) 79;
Hypothetical policy change strategy #7: New Oregon Forest Practices
Act regulations (a “soft” framework) 82;
Summary and conclusions about ecosystem dynamics management
policy change 83;
V. Literature cited 87;
Appendix I: Ecosystem dynamics literature review 94;
Appendix II: The social and policy context for ecosystem
dynamics management 119
