Resource Management
Resource management is purposeful action taken by people to mitigate the potential negative effects of using resources beyond their sustainable capacity to yield benefits. Resource management is the means to the goals of conservation.
Resources include natural and cultural resources. Natural resources include productive soil, clean water, clean air, minerals, energy, and healthy forests and wetlands. A positive example of resource management is the history of forests in the U.S. Due
to efforts to counter the forces that were depleting our forests in the early 1900's, there is 25% more wood by volume growing today than in 1952.
Unfortunately, many undesired outcomes from resource management have resulted over the years. One example is the depletion of soil nutrients from the intensively managed forests in Europe.
Cultural resources can also be managed like knowledge, wisdom, technologies, and environmental data. With respect to environmental data, environmental informatics provides one means to manage this growing resource.
Today, not only are individual resources being managed but so are entire ecosystems. The protection of the environment requires that resources and ecosystems be protected and conserved on the local level to have a positive effect on a global level.
Ref.
Environmental Encyclopedia, by Hal Salwasser p.608-609.
Compiled by
Keith Cunningham kc3@cec.wustl.edu Last updated 11/8/94.