Gary Wein and Elizabeth Lemaster

Elements of Ecosystem Management

  Ecosystem Management is the integration of ecological principles and economic and social factors to manage ecosystems to safeguard ecological sustainability, biodiversity, and productivity.  The goal of the ecosystem approach is to restore and sustain the health, productivity, and biological diversity of ecosystems and the overall quality of life through a natural resource management approach that is fully integrated with social and economic goals. (Memorandum of Understanding to Foster the Ecosystem Approach, December 1995).  

Our goal as researchers and managers at the SRS is to “protect, restore, and enhance the environment” as directed in NEPA (40 CFR Part 1500.1). Ecosystem management complements NEPA requirements by allowing us to focus on multispecies communities and landscapes at a variety of temporal and spatial scales.  All the known parts of the ecosystem must be considered as well as their functions within the system.  This information is needed to ensure that better decisions are made by our public officials as is the intent of NEPA. It is Department of Energy policy to manage all of its land and facilities as valuable national resources.  Our stewardship of the DOE Savannah River Site will be based on the principles of ecosystem management and sustainable development. (DOE P 430.1)

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