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An Ecosystem Manage
ment
By M. McGinnis and S. Hastings NOTE: This article may be a
little more
difficult to grasp but itŐs message is very
important - so please give it a try. Oh, don't forget your dictionary.
To start out on a lighter note for such a serious topic, let's learn the
Chumash word for Santa Catalina Island. It's one of those words that the
more you say it, the more you can get into it, try it. "WHO YA" with
emphasis on Ya. I'd like to know what the Chumash call the other
California Islands.
This beautiful Channel Island area does
need some overseeing through human management to *sustain it's natural
beauty. There are many different ideas by different groups of
people. Some are *cultural differences, some come from conflicts
between *industry and conservation, and there are issues about how
to control and manage the *natural resources of this area. Law makers
and politicians have their own ideas on how to handle the management
of the Islands. Problems are also created from some people and
organizations not having or being aware of *accurate information.
But, *amidst all these problems, as always, there are solutions.
Scientific research and *ecology can offer important data needed
to properly manage the ecosystem. Eight principals of successful
ecosystem planning have been developed and include: continued
research, *restoration, education and outreach to the public,
protection for the area through state and federal programs,
getting the community involved, understanding natural disturbances,
and finding uses for the Islands that will not disturb itŐs natural
balance. It will be necessary to get politicians to sit down with
interest groups and try to agree and recognize each others values.
Most important of all is the idea that "WE CAN'T MANAGE NATURE, WE
CAN ONLY MANAGE OURSELVES AND LOOK DEEPER INTO OUR *MORALS,
AND VIEWS OF NATURE. CHANGING THE WAY WE SEE NATURE IS A MUST
FOR MANY OF US - IT IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THERE TO BE USED BY US."
We need
to create NO TAKE areas, setting aside more space where there are little
or no human influence - because our influence is usually negative in
relationship to the marine environment.
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE -
WHEN YOU ARE EQUIPPED WITH KNOWLEDGE!
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