The Human Dimension of Ecosystem-Based Management
Michael Orbach, Duke University Marine Laboratory
14 Mar 2008
Just as there are ecological systems and principles that define the biophysical elements of coastal and ocean environments, so too are there ecological systems and principles that define the human and institutional elements of coastal and ocean environments. Humans and their cultural values, beliefs, perceptions and behaviors and the institutions they form to guide behavior form a core element of the science that needs to be produced and applied to issues of coastal and marine policy and management, and in particular ‘ecosystem-based’ management. If we do not proceed with a ‘mirror image’ of social science to match the biophysical science, we will not have the understanding, information and tools that we need to effectively conceptualize or design ecosystem-based management systems. Using coastal and marine examples, this presentation will summarize the elements of human and institutional ecology necessary to a full understanding of the “total ecology” of ecosystem-based management.