The Ecosystem Approach

Abstract

This chapter introduces the ecosystem approach to management. This is a series of 12 principles that can be applied to planning and management. It is not necessarily about managing ecosystems; the principles can be used to guide biodiversity management in any situation. In order to avoid unnecessary confusion, the concept of an ‘ecosystem’ is discussed. Most of the early thinking about ecosystem management originated in the USA. This generally assumed that a natural system is sustainable if anthropogenic factors are removed or controlled. The ecosystem approach has not, until recently, been a feature of European conservation, but Europe has recognised and applied most of the principles implied by this approach for a very long time. The most commonly applied, and widely recognised, definition of an ecosystem approach comes from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This chapter will introduce the 12 principles promoted by CBD, which are all given varying levels of attention in other chapters of the book. The principles provide guidance that all management planners should, at least, consider, but it must be recognised that an ecosystem approach does not mean abandoning the established tried, tested and effective methods of conservation. The ecosystem approach to management must be adaptive: this book is about an adaptive approach to management and planning. Finally, there is no single way to implement the ecosystem approach, as it depends on local, provincial, national, regional or global conditions.