Adaptive Management formulates management as experiments that probe the response of the systems and in people’s attitudes. The aim is to increase knowledge about the ecosystem processes and structures and consequently, to design better policies and to formulate better studies and management programs.

The components of an adaptive management approach are as follows with those components that are considered to be core to the adaptive management approach indicated with an *:

• Holistic/consultative approach*
  - treating the system as a complex bio-physical, social and economic system;
• All interest groups (stakeholders) are identified and the values and inputs of all key individuals are considered and valued – they include researchers, resource managers, policy developers, industry, and community interest groups;
• The bio-physical, social and economic dimensions of the problem and available information are identified often through stakeholder workshops*;
• Models of the system are developed by a sub-group from the workshop based on a collective understanding of the stakeholders;
• Models are used to:
  - assess information gaps and uncertainties; and
  - predict outcomes from alternative management strategies;
• Stakeholders develop management plan(s) to *
  - meet desired outcomes;
  - generate new information to reduce uncertainty and information gaps;
• Management plans are implemented usually as an experiment* where;
  - results are monitored*;
  - new information analysed*; and
• Management strategy modified as understanding of the system grows*.

Where appropriate, AWMS encourages the use of the adaptive management approach for natural resource systems. In doing so AWMS:

• Recognises that it can be costly in time and resources, and for complex systems such as major marine fisheries, it can take several years to test various management alternatives;
• Understands that it can threaten established attitudes and research programs, so much so that strong positioning by some groups can derail the process; and
• Recognises that pro-environment outcomes are not guaranteed.

Nevertheless, an adaptive approach to management:

• Encourages management even if the knowledge of the system being managed is incomplete;
• Values the input of Professionals and Non-professionals;
• Recognises that adaptive management helps to generate solutions that fit within management restrictions and ownership of the problem and the solution by key stakeholders; and
• Can develop a system that is likely to be able to respond to new stresses because the system is likely to be more flexible with more options and stakeholders are likely to be more cooperative to adopting future necessary changes

Further reading on this topic can be found in Conservation Ecology on the web at:

http://www.consecol.org/vol/3iss1
http://www.consecol.org/vol3/iss2 and
Walters, C. and Holling, C. 1990 Large-scale management experiments and learning by doing Ecology 71: 2060-2068.

Contact person:
Mike Braysher
Adjunct Professor
Applied Ecology Research Group
University of Canberra, ACT 2601
Tel: 61 2 62608112; Email: braysher@aerg.canberra.edu.au