Book Description

The Department of Defense (DOD) is currently moving towards the concept of "ecosystem management" to more effectively protect, sustain, and/or enhance natural and cultural resources critical to the training mission. Ecosystem management is an approach to natural resources management that recognizes the interrelationships of ecological processes that link soils, plants, animals, minerals, climate, water, and topography as a living system. This system is important to and is affected by human activity beyond traditional commodity and amenity uses and acknowledges the importance of ecosystem services such as water conservation, oxygen recharge, and nutrient recycling. Some of the factors that must be considered in ecosystem management include the effects of soil erosion on water and air quality, potential damage to wildlife habitat, and in the case of DOD, the effects on the ability to train efficiently and effectively.