United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Resources, Community, and Economic Development Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1994-08-16 monographic deposited born digital GA 1.13:RCED-94-111 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-111 P0b002ee18038f21b f:rc94111 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-111 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-111 RCED-94-111 Environmental policies Natural resources Environmental monitoring Land management Conservation Public administration Data collection operations Interagency relations Federal/state relations Prince William Sound (AK) Valdez (AK) Everglades (FL) Florida Bay (FL) Anacostia River Watershed (MD) Yellowstone National Park (WY) Chapter Report RCED 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. GAO summarized this report in testimony before Congress; see: Ecosystem Management: Additional Actions Needed to Adequately Test a Promising Approach, by James Duffus III, Director of Natural Resources Management Issues, before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, House Committee on Natural Resources, the Subcommittee on Environment and Natural Resources, House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, and the Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Natural Resources, House Committee on Agriculture. GAO/T-RCED-94-308, Sept. 20, 1994 (nine pages). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-111/html/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-111.htm GAO/RCED-94-111 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-RCED-94-111 Chapter Report GAO/RCED-94-111; Ecosystem Management: Additional Actions Needed to Adequately Test a Promising Approach; Environmental policies Natural resources Environmental monitoring Land management Conservation Public administration Data collection operations Interagency relations Federal/state relations Prince William Sound (AK) Valdez (AK) Everglades (FL) Florida Bay (FL) Anacostia River Watershed (MD) Yellowstone National Park (WY)