Adaptive Management
Defining Adaptive Management
Information gathered from community meetings and stakeholder participation can be used to adapt and improve the management, planning, accountability, and overall impact of the MPA. Photos © S. Green
The aim of adaptive management is to modify management practices and policies to be more successful, based on new science, socioeconomic information and lessons learned from previous management actions. Monitoring and evaluating, testing assumptions, and generating learning opportunities comprise the cyclical process of adaptive management that continually improves on itself, as it approaches and sustains the MPA goals.
An adaptive management approach enables a flexible and timely decision structure. It allows for timely management responses to new information about ecosystem conditions, fishing operations, community structures, or other social, ecological, or governance aspects that may be revealed.
Using Evaluation Results to Adapt Management Strategies
Information generated from completed evaluations can be used to adapt and improve management, planning, accountability, and overall impact of the MPA. The application of specific indicators to evaluate the MPA management effectiveness can serve many audiences including: donors, policy makers, management teams, community members, conservation organizations, and any other stakeholders. Evaluation results can be applied in adaptive management strategies in the following ways:
- Highlight the progress of MPA management
- Assist in identifying and setting new priorities for future management actions
- Improve strategic planning
- Promote accountability
- Increase levels of stakeholder awareness, participation and support
Examples of Adaptive Management
| Management Objective: Protection of bleach-resistant and/or resilient sites | |
| Indicators Reveal That: | Adaptive Management Response |
| Coral reef biodiversity has not been maintained at pre-bleaching levels. | Reassess and revise strategy for maintaining coral reef biodiversity to ensure that:
|
| Coral reef communities are not in better condition at bleaching-resistant and/or resilient sites than at control sites. | Reconsider selection of bleaching-resistant/resilient sites and make new selections based on monitoring data and/or new observations on bleaching resistance. |
| Other threats have not been reduced on protected reefs. | Implement more effective strategies for reducing other threats to MPA |
| Socioeconomic benefits of reefs have not been maintained at pre-bleaching levels or above. | In consultation with primary stakeholders, consider how management actions can be modified to improve impacts on reef users while still achieving management objectives. |
| Herbivorous coral reef fish populations have declined | Implement more effective fishery management strategies (e.g. regulations or protected area) to enhance the survival of reef fish populations and corals |
Resources
Adaptive Management: A Tool for Conservation Practitioners
Adaptive Management Practitioner’s Network
NOAA Coastal Services Adaptive Management