Integrated management of natural resources: Meeting the demands of complex systems

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Integrated management of natural resources
Meeting the demands of complex systems
Jim Fyles, McGill University

• CAETS 2009 Calgary
• July 15, 2009

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Sustainable Forest Management Network

• National research partnership since 1995
• 160 researchers at 37 Universities
• 10 Federal/provincial/territorial government
  ministries/agencies
• 13 Forest companies
• 7 Aboriginal organizations
• 1 NGO
• Interdisciplinary (economic, ecological, social)
  research and knowledge exchange programs
• University-based, partner-driven, Centre of
  Excellence
• Annual budget 6.2 million 3 million in-kind
• Hosted by the University of Alberta
• Finished in 2010

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SFM Network Take-home Messagesfor Integrated
Natural Resource Management

• Recognize
• Landscape view
• Cumulative effects
• System complexity
• Multiple values and perspectives
• Innovation required

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NW of Grande Prairie AB
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• Canadian forest landscapes
• owned by the public
• filling fast
• many activities over many years cumulative
  effects
• integrated (whether we see it that way or not)

NW of Grande Prairie AB
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System complexity

• Simple system
• recipe success

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System complexity

• Simple system
• recipe success

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System complexity

• Simple system
• Complicated system
• Difficult recipe many ingredients, many
  processes
• Recipe diligence success

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System complexity

• Simple system
• Complicated system
• Difficult recipe many ingredients, many
  processes
• Recipe diligence success

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System complexity

• Simple system
• Complicated system
• Complex system
• Multiple causality
• Non-linear relationships
• Iterative feedback loops
• Variation with time, space, scale
• Chaotic behaviour, surprise

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System complexity

• Simple system
• Complicated system
• Complex system
• Multiple causality
• Non-linear relationships
• Iterative feedback loops
• Variation with time, space, scale
• Chaotic behaviour, surprise

Natural resource systems are complex.
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System complexity

• Simple system
• Complicated system
• Complex system
• Predictions lose precision range of variation
• Self-stabilization
• Unknown unknowns

Boreal mixedwood dynamics from Chen and
Papadiouk
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• Woodland Caribou
• current concern due to recent pop. declines
• good example of the challenge of integration

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Caribou System (partial)
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Many stakeholders, jurisdictions, values
ENGOs
Prov. Env. Ministries
NGOs
Prov. Forest Ministries
Env. Canada Species-at-Risk
Prov. Wildlife Ministries
Prov. Energy Ministries
First Nations
Communities
Parks Ministries
Forest Industry
Energy Industries
Forest Prod. Customers
Energy customers
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Complex social ecological system
ENGOs
Prov. Env. Ministries
NGOs
Prov. Forest Ministries
Env. Canada Species-at-Risk
Prov. Wildlife Ministries
Prov. Energy Ministries
First Nations
Communities
Parks Ministries
Forest Industry
Energy Industries
Forest Prod. Customers
Energy customers
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Social complexity on the landscape

• Many resources / values
• Fibre
• Energy
• Bioenergy
• Non-timber plant products
• Minerals, aggregate
• Water
• Recreation
• Carbon
• Biodiversity
• Culture

• Many stakeholders
• Governments
• Federal
• Provincial
• Aboriginal
• Municipal
• Industries
• NGOs
• Consultants
• Consumers and users
• Academics
• International audiences

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Integrated management means taking into
account

• Ecological complexity
• Elements and relationships that determine the
  capacity produce goods and services valued by
  society
• Social complexity
• Who values? Who owns? Who regulates?
  Who uses? Who claims? Who holds knowledge? Who
  speaks?

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Innovations required!

• Conceptual innovations
• Concepts to capture and communicate ecosystem
  condition and change
• Institutional innovations
• Ways to bring stakeholders together, share
  knowledge, generate shared commitment
• Technological innovations
• Value-added techniques and processes reflecting
  the conceptual and social context

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For engineers?

• Opportunities
• Innovative designs, practices and technologies
• Project management systems thinking
• Challenges
• Cope with ecological complexity as simple as
  possible but no simpler
• Cope with social complexity at the table, in
  the process, outside the box.

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Institutional innovation for integration

• Concept of a container for building the
  engagement and collective understanding required
  by integrated management
• Peter Senge (MIT) and others
• Institutional structure to support strategic
  conversation and analysis
• Expert internal facilitation to manage process
• Supported by commitment of stakeholders
• Arms-length from every stakeholder

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Creating a space for strategic conversations to
inform policy about sustainability
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SFM Network Take-home Messagesfor Integrated
Natural Resource Management

• Recognize
• Landscape view
• Cumulative effects
• System complexity
• Multiple values and perspectives
• Innovation required