M5 AM Managing Environment Issues for the Next 25 Years: The Role of Science
Monday, 14 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 11:40 AM in 321-323

(GRU-1118-068201) Advocacy, the media, litigation, public perceptions and the future of science in natural resource management.

grue, christian¹, ¹ University of Washington, seattle, WA, USA

ABSTRACT- As scientists, we hope that natural resource management decisions will be based on the best available science and that, through adaptive management, decisions and policies will evolve concurrently with advancements in understanding. Increasingly, however, it appears that advocacy, the media, and litigation are driving natural resource management decisions and, as a result, public perceptions of the value of science have been diminished. Unfortunately, this comes at a time when the political views on a number of social and environmental issues are highly polarized and when a number of legislative acts dealing with the environmental protections are due for reauthorization. To what extent have we, as scientists, contributed to this situation? Or, does it reflect the increasing complexities of science and natural resource management at a time of diminishing natural resources, increasing human population, increasing concerns over private property rights, and advances in communication and information transfer? Recent case studies from the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere will be reviewed. The need for science to be judged by its quality and not affiliations and sponsorship; for greater cooperation and collaboration among scientists, regulators and stakeholders; and for a greater focus on education and citizen science will be emphasized.

Key words: advocacy, litigation, media, science