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From Concept to Implementation:Moving Towards Coherence in
Waterfowl Management
Jim RingelmanDucks Unlimited, Inc.
Waterfowl management… a complex business
Harvest Habitat
Harvest HabitatHabitat affects size of waterfowl populations
Harvest HabitatHarvest pressure affects use of habitat
Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations
Harvest Habitat
Hunters
Harvest pressure affects use of habitat
Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations
Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest
managem
ent decisions
Harvest Habitat
Hunters
Harvest pressure affects use of habitat
Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations
Realized and potential harvest opportunity
affect hunter satisfaction
Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest
managem
ent decisions
Harvest Habitat
Hunters
Harvest pressure affects use of habitat
Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations
Habi
tat a
ffect
s hu
nter
sat
isfac
tion
by p
rovid
ing
plac
es
to h
unt a
nd d
eter
min
ing
the
dist
ribut
ion
and
abun
danc
e of
bird
sRealized and potential harvest opportunity
affect hunter satisfaction
Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest
managem
ent decisions
Harvest Habitat
Hunters
Harvest pressure affects use of habitat
Habitat affects size of waterfowl populations
Hunt
ers
prov
ide
finan
cial a
nd p
olitic
al s
uppo
rt
for h
abita
t pro
gram
s
Habi
tat a
ffect
s hu
nter
sat
isfac
tion
by p
rovid
ing
plac
es
to h
unt a
nd d
eter
min
ing
the
dist
ribut
ion
and
abun
danc
e of
bird
sRealized and potential harvest opportunity
affect hunter satisfaction
Perceived desires of hunters drive harvest
managem
ent decisions
How well do we understand the interactions?
How important is one relative to the others? Do we understand the underlying drivers? What are the implications to waterfowl
management if one or more linkages weakens or disappears?
Is there a need for structured decision-making to ensure coordination and coherence?
How well do we understand the interactions?
Turning Point QuestionWhen you have a choice of whether or not
to use information from models to make management decisions, you:
1. Use models a little 2. Use models some; mostly other factors 3. Give equal weight to models and other
factors 4. Use models heavily, along with other factors 5. Use models almost exclusively
Intuitive (implicit) models often create confusion and controversy
The Adaptive Harvest Management lesson Biological uncertainties Agree on process; competing models
The scaup controversy Why restrict hunting when harvest has nothing
to do with the scaup decline? A need to incorporate habitat variables
We’re going to lose diving duck hunters and destroy waterfowling traditions
A need for hunter objectives
Desired outcomes from structured decision-making
Coherent objectives Harvest, habitat, and hunter objectives that
all flow together Coherent models
Integrated models that link habitat changes to demographic changes to continental population status to harvest potential
Coherent monitoring Monitoring of habitat, population, harvest,
and hunter satisfaction in an integrated way
Coherent management actions Habitat management, harvest regulations,
and interactions with hunters, all of which are mutually reinforcing
Desired outcomes from structured decision-making
Implications of structured decision-making
Coherence will require explicit, multiple objectives
Multiple objectives will lead to multiple tradeoffs
Structured decision-making offers: Transparent goals and assumptions The opportunity for formal, integrated models A greater opportunity for learning Increased management efficiencies
Where to from here?
Explore linkages among harvest, habitat and hunters Mike Runge – harvest in the context of habitat
and hunters John Eadie – habitat in the context of harvest
and hunters Andy Raedeke – hunters in the context of habitat
and harvest From the established/familiar to the un-
established/less familiar; not necessarily in rank order of importance!
Expectations Think strategically, not tactically
Don’t lose sight of the big picture Be open-minded and objective Be inquisitive and creative Be a participant, not an observer
Keep expectations realistic May not leave with solutions Hope to identify a clear path forward Complex, difficult task
The potential upsides… “Better” waterfowl population and habitat
objectives Derived from explicit estimates of the quantity of
birds desired for harvest, and in consideration of environmental and social objectives
“Simpler” hunting regulations Potential for a harvest strategy that does not
chase populations in response to uncontrollable, short-term environmental conditions
“More effective” management Coordinated population, habitat, and hunter
objectives lead to more efficient use of staff and help stretch shrinking budgets