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YOUR ACTIONS & THE ENVIRONMENT <br />A Wider View of Ecosystem -based Management <br />ECOSYSTEM -BASED MANAGEMENT <br />Ecosystems include all the living organisms and <br />their physical surroundings (soil, water, air), and the <br />natural cycles that maintain them. <br />Ecosystem -based Management is an approach to <br />managing natural resources that considers the effect <br />of our activities on the community, environment, <br />and the economy. Instead of focusing on a single <br />site or species in isolation, we look at how our <br />activity fits into the ecosystem as a whole. <br />HOW DO YOU FIT IN? <br />Your home is part of a <br />community, and that <br />community is part of a <br />natural system or <br />ecosystem. Your actions <br />can improve or <br />deteriorate the quality of <br />the ecosystem <br />Everyday actions like <br />watering the lawn can <br />have minor effects on the <br />water quality of your <br />ecosystem. The <br />cumulative effect of this <br />action by many in your <br />community can result in <br />water shortages and <br />depleted water quality. <br />Actions such as pouring <br />used oil down the storm <br />sewer, or applying <br />excessive lawn chemicals <br />can have detrimental <br />effects on the ecosystem. <br />Fish kills and interrupted <br />food chains are just a <br />couple of the negative <br />impacts that can result <br />from a single action. <br />The Challenge: <br />Ecosystem Based <br />Management <br />focuses on the <br />environment, <br />economy, and <br />society as parts of a <br />whole. By <br />understanding the <br />effects of one part <br />on another and the <br />whole, we can <br />sustain a healthy <br />environment, <br />economy and <br />society. <br />"Nature is not just <br />a place to visit, <br />it is home" <br />Gary Snyder <br />Practice of the Wild <br />1990 <br />Conversely, native landscaping by the community <br />has the cumulative effect of improved water quality <br />and other benefits. <br />Landscaping around your home can dramatically <br />add to the quality of the area. Although trees, water <br />features, flower gardens and other plantings can <br />attract wildlife to your lot, proper design can have <br />wide - ranging benefits. If you consider the <br />neighborhood and community, what you do in your <br />yard can complement adjacent features. Your yard <br />could be a key link in a wildlife travel corridor. <br />RULES OF THUMB <br />Look at the big picture - Because water doesn't <br />stop flowing at legal borders, and plants and <br />animals don't recognize property lines, we need to <br />coordinate activities across larger areas to better <br />manage our resources. <br />Treat the problem, not the symptoms - Seek to <br />understand the root of a problem. For example, if a <br />plant dies in your yard, find out why it died. The <br />site may not suit the species of plant. <br />Follow nature's lead - Look at how nature works <br />in your ecosystem, and mimic those activities. For <br />example, nature uses fire to restore and maintain <br />prairies. We can maintain prairies with proper use <br />of prescribed fire. <br />Work with partners - Share ideas and actions with <br />neighbors and others in your community to improve <br />the entire ecosystem Your ideas are valuable! <br />Be open to new ideas and new approaches - <br />Consult professionals to learn proven techniques, <br />but recognize that local conditions may require <br />unique approaches. <br />Don't throw out any of the pieces - In ecosystems, <br />everything is connected to everything else. <br />Sustaining healthy ecosystems requires a diverse <br />mix of native species and habitats, and <br />interrelationships to maintain them. <br />• <br />• <br />