Document: JON-3-12-1

Conservation of biological diversity across mixed ownership landscapes.

HAUFLER, J.B.*

Boise Cascade Corporation ¹

Abstract:
Mixed ownership landscapes present complex challenges to conservation of biological diversity. The objectives of the various owners need to be recognized, and incentives identified to help build compatible and collaborative conservation programs. Approaches based on ecological communities that recognize ecosystem dynamics and integrate with social and economic objectives hold the best potential. Examples of this are collaborative ecosystem management projects initiated by Boise Cascade Corporation in three locations: Washington, Idaho, and Minnesota. These projects address ecosystem management across landscapes of several million hectares in extent, and have used a coarse-filter (community) approach, linked with a species assessment to address the objectives of maintaining and enhancing biological diversity and ecosystem integrity. Economic analyses linked to the coarse filter provide for monetary comparisons of various management alternatives. The coarse filter uses a tool termed an ecosystem diversity matrix to characterize the complex of forest communities. This tool has been used to help quantify historical disturbance regimes, historical landscape composition, existing conditions, and threshold levels for representation of ecological communities. The species assessment uses a habitat-based approach to viability analysis. This information allows for informed decision-making that can integrate ecological, economic, and social objectives.

Keywords: Biodiversity, coarse filter, ecosystem management, ecosystem integrity

This abstract is being presented at: 1:35 PM in session:
Symposium # 22: Species Diversity at Broad Scales: Linking Science and Management.