Ecosystem Management: A review of a new concept and methodology

Ecosystem Management (EM) is a new holistic approach to the management of n atural resources. It integrates the scientific knowledge on ecological inte rrelationships and the complex socioeconomic and political frame of values, aiming at the long-term sustainability of a region, i.e., the ecosystem. I t includes the human, biological and natural dimensions, and can regulate t he internal structures and functions of the ecosystem, and the inputs and o utputs from it, so that solutions to development and protection problems ca n be achieved and be socially well-accepted. It has been given attention si nce 1991, mainly in the U.S.A., where the existing legal framework formed a basis for EM. The former experience of programs based on the traditional m ethods of management, the goal of sustainable development stated by many go vernmental, public or private agencies, and the advent of scientific knowle dge, permitted the development of a theoretical basis for EM. Today, a sign ificant number of EM programs have been established and are in progress in the U.S.A. Here the concept, general principles and methodology of EM are r eviewed, and the EM program in the State of Florida in the U.S.A. is presen ted, which is considered a successful case study. In addition, the examples of management of two very important ecosystems in Northern Greece are crit ically presented for comparison, in order to evaluate if they have EM chara cteristics.