Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Rocky Mountain CESU

archived

A. To develop improved methods, using a collaborative approach, to integrate earth, environmental and biological sciences information into a policy framework. This requires the integration of natural, social science, and behavioral information and models to advance land management science and to understand the impacts and tradeoffs of land and resource use decisions over space and time. Stakeholder involvement is an essential element in the integration of information and models from multiple disciplines. Activities required to advance land management science include the: 1. Development of new methods, tools, processes, and products for integrating, using and analyzing science and other information in a decision support environment; and; 2. Development of methods to link natural, social, and behavioral science information in a regional setting to evaluate land and resource management decisions. B. To advance research relating to ecosystem service valuation. Ecosystem service valuation builds upon an integrated framework that includes service production processes, coupled modeling frameworks, and scenario development. C. To advance research in developing institutional design, adaptive strategies, and markets to address impacts and tradeoffs of land and resource management decisions. Institutional design, adaptive strategies, and markets require an integrated framework that includes service production processes, coupled modeling frameworks, and an understanding of societal and legal constraints identified in stakeholder interactions.

High