Integrating research and management in the context of ecological engineering: interest and limitations

Abstract

Ecological engineering is defined relative to a scientific field, ecology. How do engineering and ecology relate? In particular, does ecological engineering merely apply the results of scientific ecology? In this note, restricted to the management of continental ecosystems, we insist that scientific ecology cannot be ecological engineering's only source of inspiration, although it has a central place in devising good evaluation procedures (including monitoring) of management quality. We then turn to the concept of adaptive management, which - in its «active» version - promises thorough integration of research and management. We insist on the difficulties inherent in applying this procedure under current conditions, and also propose to test it in several cases.