Society for Ecological Restoration - Northwest Chapter Conference

Presented by Gustavo A. Bisbal, Northwest Power Planning Council

See web version of PowerPoint presentation

Abstract
Monitoring and evaluation of natural resources and environmental conditions provide an expression of performance of an ecosystem and allow decision-makers to deal with uncertainty. In the Columbia River ecosystem, most fish and wildlife management documents include explicit references and provisions for monitoring and evaluation. However, while proposals that emphasize this critical need surface regularly, monitoring and evaluation efforts are often haphazard and fail to satisfy basic management needs. A logical sequence of seven steps is proposed as a generic template to design plans for monitoring and evaluation of fish and wildlife.

The Ecosystem Diagnosis and Treatment (EDT) method is a principal element of this planning sequence. The EDT approach provides the basis for understanding the system under consideration, and for recognizing possible problems and their potential solutions. Through this method it is also possible to formulate practical hypotheses that relate management actions and events within a watershed to their effect on society's values and objectives. The planning sequence proposed here concentrates on the generic elements necessary for the design and implementation of monitoring plans, not the specific monitoring activities or methodologies at any particular location or listed under any one monitoring plan. Also, the actual number of steps to be considered or their relative arrangement in the planning sequence is of secondary importance. Likely, the configuration and contents of these steps will be tailored to the particular conditions and interests that beget each monitoring plan. Monitoring and evaluation plans designed under the premises of the EDT method define the prominent uncertainties or causal relationships that require further research, provide a vehicle to incorporate new information into decision-making, and afford the ability to gain knowledge while taking management actions.

As a corollary of this process it is possible to refine the objectives and the selected management actions. Further, because EDT recognizes the multidimensional properties of ecosystems and their components, monitoring plans designed around this concept will be reflective of the dimensions of the system and be pertinent to specific management needs. As a result, monitoring and evaluation may satisfy their intended purposes: to enhance our observational capabilities, promote cost-effectiveness in the investment of public funds for fish and wildlife restoration, and provide a useful tool to adjust our management practices to the challenges of complex ecosystems.

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