Adaptive Management
Adaptive Management (
261 KB) is a systematic and scientific process for continually improving management polices and practices. It facilitates learning from management experience.
Unlike traditional management approaches, Adaptive Management recognizes that the effectiveness of any management regime is hampered by a degree of uncertainty and lack of knowledge. It seeks to improve the Regime's effectiveness by monitoring the effects of management actions, in order to learn from the results.
In the context of the Regime, Adaptive Management will require the monitoring of water quality, aquatic health and industry health. The results of the monitoring should provide new information and a rational basis for making improvements to the Regime over time. High quality monitoring data from both successes and failures is key to making improvements.
The Adaptive Management approach includes six steps:
- Assess or define the problem.
- Design the management actions and the monitoring program.
- Implement the management actions.
- Monitor the outcomes.
- Evaluate the results.
- Adjust management actions, if necessary, in response to new information.
Each monitoring program will follow approved protocols, in order to increase the reliability of the results.
In the context of the Regime, Adaptive Management will provide information that will allow for adjustments to habitat conservation and protection measures over time.
Careful annual monitoring will form the basis of recommendations for change. Before adjustments can be considered, several years of monitoring will likely be required.
Last Updated: 4/17/2008