Integrating Collaboration, Adaptive Management, and Scenario-Planning: Experiences at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area

摘要: There is growing recognition that public lands cannot be managed as islands; rather, land management must address the ecological, social, and temporal complexity often spans jurisdictions traditional planning horizons. Collaborative decision making adaptive (CAM) have been promoted methods to reconcile competing societal demands respond complex ecosystem dynamics. We detail experiences of managers stakeholders in using CAM at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area (LCNCA), a highly valued site under jurisdiction Bureau Land Management (BLM). The process marked by strong stakeholder engagement, with four core elements: (1) shared watershed goals measurable resource objectives; (2) relevant reliable scientific information; (3) mechanisms incorporate new information into making; (4) learning improve both actions. combination engagement has led agreement on contentious issues, more innovative solutions, effective management. However, region now experiencing rapid changes outside managers’ control, including climate change, human population growth, reduced federal budgets, large but unpredictable impacts natural resources. Although experience provides foundation for difficult decisions such are likely require, neither collaboration nor sufficient structure addressing externalities drive uncontrollable change. As result, LCNCA exploring two specific modifications may better emerging challenges, including: creating nested objectives distinguish between those crucial maintaining ecological resilience from hinder flexible response incorporating scenario explore how change interact other drivers alter options future, identify robust actions, prioritize monitoring efforts. demonstrate can used social environmental outcomes and, modifications, help full range threatens overwhelm even best efforts sustain lands.