Managing Complex Problems in Rangeland Ecosystems

Abstract

Management of rangelands, and natural resources in general, has become increasingly complex. There is an atmosphere of increasing expectations for conservation efforts associated with a variety of issues from water quality to endangered species. We argue that many current issues are complex by their nature, which influences how we approach them. We define a complex problem as one that varies in time and space. In other words, one answer may not be correct for all sites or during all years. For simple problems a generalized answer may be sufficient, and even for complex problems, general rules provide a good starting point. However, we suggest that it is important to distinguish between simple and complex problems. Several key obstacles emerge when considering complex natural resource problems, namely, 1) no single entity can handle all aspects of the problem and 2) significant knowledge gaps exist and will continue to exist into the future. We suggest that overcoming these obstacles will benefit from 1) a framework for effective partnerships and 2) a mechanism for continuous learning. Managing complex problems will require some combination of the following: 1) a process-based understanding of the problem (i.e., what causes variation in time and space), 2) adaptive management, and 3) effective coordination of research and management. There are many examples of organizations applying portions of these approaches to complex problems; however, it seems that in many cases the process has simply evolved in that direction rather than being a planned strategy. We suggest that as a profession we need to have a discussion about the nature of the problems we are addressing and how researchers and managers can jointly address these problems. Resumen El manejo de pastizales naturales, y de los recursos naturales en general, se ha tornado cada vez más complejo. Existe un ambiente de expectativas crecientes en cuanto a los esfuerzos de conservación asociados con una variedad de temáticas que abarcan desde la calidad del agua hasta especies en peligro de extinción. Sostenemos que mucha de la problemática actual es intrínsecamente compleja, y que dicha complejidad incide en el modo en que abordamos esta problemática. Definimos un problema complejo como aquel que varía a trave´s del tiempo y el espacio. Es decir que una respuesta podría no ser la solución correcta para todos los sitios ni para todos los añ os. Las respuestas generales son casi siempre suficientes para la resolución de problemas sencillos, y aún el caso de problemas complejos, las reglas generales constituyen un buen punto de partida. No obstante, sugerimos que es importante distinguir entre problemas sencillos y complejos. Existen varios obstáculos clave que emergen cuando se consideran problemas complejos asociados con los recursos naturales: 1) ninguna entidad por si sola puede abordar todos los aspectos de un problema y 2) existen vacíos de conocimiento considerables que continuarán existiendo en el futuro. Proponemos que sortear estos obstáculos producirá como...

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