On the development and implementation of ecosystem management plans for water resources in the Great Lakes: A case study of the RAP initiative

Thesis/Dissertation · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5035673

MacKenzie, S H

The ecosystem approach to water resource management is deceptively simple: one must recognize the interrelationships among water, land, air, and all living things and undertake resource planning in such a way that the integrity of the natural system is preserved. Significant features of the ecosystem approach include its watershed boundaries, its holistic orientation, and its assumption that humans should be viewed as part of, rather than apart from, the natural system. A theme of environmental ethics and education underlies the approach. Although it seems straightforward, the ecosystem approach has important implications for water management. In 1985, the International Joint Commission challenged government agencies to utilize the ecosystem approach to develop Remedial Action Plans to rehabilitate forty-two hotspots across the Great Lakes Basin. This initiative represented a first effort to implement the ecosystem approach in the Great Lakes. The research questions were: what does ecosystem management mean in the context of the RAP process, and how can one increase the likelihood of successful implementation of ecosystem management plans The research proposition suggests that there are three preconditions to ecosystem management: participation; decision making; and legitimacy. Comparative case studies of Green Bay, Wisconsin; Saginaw Bay, Michigan; and Hamilton Harbor, Ontario were undertaken. Thirty-five RAP participants were chosen for on-site indepth interviews. Data were arrayed by respondent, question, and case, and were analyzed for content.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5035673
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CANADA
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DECISION MAKING
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOSYSTEMS
EVALUATION
GREAT LAKES
LAKES
MANAGEMENT
MICHIGAN
NORTH AMERICA
ONTARIO
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
RESOURCES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER RESOURCES
WISCONSIN