title: Science in the public process of ecosystem management: lessons from Hawaii, Southeast Asia, Africa and the US Mainland.
abstract: Partnerships and co-operative environmental management are increasing worldwide as is the call for scientific input in the public process of ecosystem management. In Hawaii, private landowners, non-governmental organizations, and state and federal agencies have formed watershed partnerships to conserve and better manage upland forested watersheds. In this paper, findings of an international workshop convened in Hawaii to explore the strengths of approaches used to assess stakeholder values of environmental resources and foster consensus in the public process of ecosystem management are presented. Authors draw upon field experience in projects throughout Hawaii, Southeast Asia, Africa and the US mainland to derive a set of lessons learned that can be applied to Hawaiian and other watershed partnerships in an effort to promote consensus and sustainable ecosystem management. Interdisciplinary science-based models can serve as effective tools to identify areas of potential consensus in the process of ecosystem management. Effective integration of scientific input in co-operative ecosystem management depends on the role of science, the stakeholders and decision-makers involved, and the common language utilized to compare tradeoffs. Trust is essential to consensus building and the integration of scientific input must be transparent and inclusive of public feedback. Consideration of all relevant stakeholders and the actual benefits and costs of management activities to each stakeholder is essential. Perceptions and intuitive responses of people can be as influential as analytical processes in decision-making and must be addressed. Deliberative, dynamic and iterative decision-making processes all influence the level of stakeholder achievement of consensus. In Hawaii, application of lessons learned can promote more informed and democratic decision processes, quality scientific analysis that is relevant, and legitimacy and public acceptance of ecosystem management.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Studies Program, Dartmouth College, 6182 Steele Hall, Hanover, NH 03755, USA. john.j.gutrich@dartmouth.edu
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gutrich
authors.forename: Deanna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finucane
authors.forename: Will
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Focht
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hitzhusen
authors.forename: Supachit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Manopimoke
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McCauley
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Norton
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sabatier
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salzman
authors.forename: Virza
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sasmitawidjaja
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D003256:Community Participation / Q000379:methods*; D032921:Consensus; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011640:Public Policy; D012586:Science; D014481:United States