Seeing the hidden services of nature - International team of ecosystem researchers develop new approach for managing ecological tradeoffs
Following an intense study of agricultural ecosystems near Montreal, a new tool that enables the simultaneous analysis and management of a wide range of ecological services has been developed by Ciara Raudsepp-Hearne of McGill University’s Department of Geography, Elena Bennett of the McGill School of Environment, and Garry Peterson of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University. Environmental management typically focuses on nature’s resources like food, wildlife and timber, but can miss hidden ecosystem services such as water purification, climate moderation and the regulation of nutrient cycling.
Bennett believes Quebec manages its environment fairly well, but that there are still trade-offs and costs to be recognized. She says “the big local message is that in terms of the landscape we have to be thinking about more than just one thing – we can’t just see corn, we have to see deer hunting, nutrients, and tourism, too.”
The area surrounding Montreal was selected because it is typical of near-urban agricultural landscapes in many parts of the world. “I hope these methods can be applied to many other landscapes around the world,” Peterson says, adding the tool will help decision makers trying to balance the goals of farmers, rural villagers and exurban commuters.
The findings were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science on March 1, 2010.
On the Web: http://nrs-staff.mcgill.ca/Bennett http://stockholmresilience.su.se
Contact: William Raillant-Clark Media Relations McGill University 514-398-2189 william.raillant-clark@mcgill.ca
Ellika Hermansson Török Media Relations Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University +46 73 707 85 47 ellika@stockholmresilience.su.se
About McGill University McGill University, founded in Montreal, Que., in 1821, is Canada’s leading post-secondary institution. It has two campuses, 11 faculties, 10 professional schools, 300 programs of study and more than 34,000 students. McGill attracts students from more than 150 countries around the world. Almost half of McGill students claim a first language other than English – including 6,000 francophones – with more than 6,400 international students making up almost 20 per cent of the student body.
About Stockholm Resilience Centre Stockholm Resilience Centre advances transdisciplinary research for governance of social-ecological systems with a special emphasis on resilience – the ability to deal with change and continue to develop. The centre is a collaboration between Stockholm University, Stockholm Environment Institute and the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
http://www.stockholmresilience.su.se/