Ecosystem Management: Additional Actions Needed to Adequately Test a
Promising Approach (Testimony, 09/20/94, GAO/T-RCED-94-308).

The "ecosystem" approach to managing the nation's lands and natural
resources stresses that plant and animal communities are interdependent
and interact with their physical environment to form ecosystems that
span federal and nonfederal lands. GAO found that the four primary
federal land management agencies--the National Park Service, the Bureau
of Land Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Forest
Service--have started to implement ecosystem management. In addition,
the administration's fiscal year 1995 budget request includes $700
million for ecosystem management initiatives. GAO recognizes that,
compared with the existing federal approach to land management,
ecosystem management may require greater flexibility in planning; in
budgeting, authorizing, and appropriating funds; and in adapting
management on the basis of new information. However, GAO believes that
if ecosystem management implementation is to move forward, it must
advance beyond unclear priorities and broad principles. Clear goals and
practical steps for implementing ecosystem management need to be
established and progress in implementing this approach needs to be
regularly assessed and reported.

--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

 REPORTNUM:  T-RCED-94-308
     TITLE:  Ecosystem Management: Additional Actions Needed to 
             Adequately Test a Promising Approach
      DATE:  09/20/94
   SUBJECT:  Environmental policies
             Natural resources
             Environmental monitoring
             Land management
             Conservation
             Public administration
             Interagency relations
             Federal/state relations
             Data collection operations
             Future budget projections

             
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