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Adaptive Management
Lately
it has become almost trendy to use the term Adaptive
Management in our natural resource management programs
and conversations. Some people actually hold positions
entitled Adaptive Management Program Manager without
a clearly accepted definition of what that really means.
Before we can specifically address the tie to NEPA we
also have the buzzing of “environmental management systems”,
EMS.
The basic tenet of the NEPA process is more of; “we
know what we want to accomplish and have a proposal,
we will explore alternative methods of accomplishing
it, discuss the environmental impacts of each different
alternative, asses the scientific and analytic comparisons,
and we will select which way to proceed.”
While NEPA has legally enforceable implementing
regulations (CEQ’s), there is no such baseboard for Adaptive
Management. There is growing, however, a common understanding
of the basic tenet of the Adaptive Management approach
to land management: namely, there
is a high level of uncertainty whether our proposed activities
and actions will approach or achieve our clearly defined
desired outcomes. Further, there is no set of steps, or sanctioned process describing how to implement an Adaptive Management Model.
Before jumping into what we feel certain is an opportunity
to implement an Adaptive Management Model, it is imperative
that agencies and the participating stakeholders must embrace
a common definition and process (for expectations to be
met, and hence successful implementation).
The Shipley Group is now offering a two-day course to
facilitate the development of such Adaptive Management
definitions, processes, and public work group establishment
to enable agencies to move forward with their Adaptive
Management programs, and how to satisfy the requirements
of NEPA.
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"USDA announced awards of close to $21 million in agricultural risk management partnership agreements throughout the United States.”
“Minerals
Management Service (MMS) today announced in the Federal
Register the availability of Coastal Impact Assistance
Program (CIAP) Guidelines.”