Research Scientists
Robin Gregory
Research & Consulting
Learning and adaptive management: policy choices under uncertainty
The concept of adaptive management was born out of the need to address the objective of learning about managed environmental systems over time. The central argument of adaptive management is that, because we often know little about the consequences of planned environmental management actions, it is important to set up a rigorous process for learning over time that is designed to reduce uncertainty and improve the ability of managers to respond to ecological, environmental, or social uncertainty. To operationalize this effort, adaptive management calls for the design and implementation of carefully planned and monitored policy "experiments," with replication and comparison of management treatments at appropriate spatial and temporal scales.
Although adaptive management is a wonderful idea, rarely has it been successful in practice. Robin's consulting and research has centered on addressing some of the reasons why the explicit consideration of uncertainty is often ignored by resource management agencies and why learning, as part of an adaptive management plan, is often thwarted by inflexible institutional responses. Current projects involve the development of criteria to help guide the development of adaptive management plans as well as the use of explicit objectives to address the benefits of learning and flexibility.
For more, read:
Gregory, R., & Failing, L. (2002). Using decision analysis to encourage sound deliberation: Water use planning in British Columbia, Canada. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 21, 492-499.