Authors

R. F. Noss

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

Nat. Resour. J.

Keywords

BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY; ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY; UNITED-STATES; CONSERVATION; DIVERSITY; FOREST; INDEX; BIODIVERSITY; BIOGEOGRAPHY; RESILIENCE; Environmental Studies; Law

Abstract

National wildlife refuges have a biological conservation mandate surpassing that of any other category of public land in the United States. The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 forged a statutory requirement to maintain the biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health of refuges, Yet, considerably more guidance from science is needed if this mandate is to be interpreted in a scientifically defensible and biologically conservative manner. After evaluation of the extent to which well-accepted goals and principles of conservation biology are reflected in the wildlife refuge system mandate and in the actual design and management of refuges, it is evident that connections of refuges and other reserves across regional landscapes and better integration of refuge management with surrounding land uses are needed to enhance the conservation mission of refuges. A careful interpretation of biological (or ecological) integrity, biodiversity, and health in establishing policies for refuges and in indicator selection, monitoring, and adaptive management is essential. Integrity, the broadest of the three concepts invoked in the new mandate, incorporates notions of wholeness (or intactness or completeness), resistance to stress, and resilience - the capacity to bounce back after a disturbance. Measuring the position and movement of refuges along a complex gradient Of relatively pristine to highly degraded requires well-selected indicators and a rigorous monitoring design. Finally, the spirit of the new mandate can be fully realized only when managers and policy makers embrace the land ethic of Aldo Leopold and are willing and able to think bigger in space, time, and ambition.

Journal Title

Natural Resources Journal

Volume

44

Issue/Number

4

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Document Type

Article; Proceedings Paper

Language

English

First Page

1093

Last Page

1111

WOS Identifier

WOS:000228562700008

ISSN

0028-0739

Download

Share

COinS