OOS 2-2 - Decision analysis and endangered species management: Challenges and opportunities

Monday, August 8, 2016: 1:50 PM
Grand Floridian Blrm E, Ft Lauderdale Convention Center
Sarah J. Converse, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
Background/Question/Methods

The management of endangered species is often massively complicated by scientific uncertainty. However, the challenge of endangered species management is not only a science challenge. Values conflicts are another important complication of endangered species management, and unfortunately there is often a lack of honest and open attention to values conflicts. Endangered species management decisions can usefully be thought of as fitting in a 2-dimensional space – where one dimension represents the degree to which the decision is complicated by uncertainty, and the other dimension represents the degree to which the decision is complicated by values conflicts. I will discuss a variety of endangered species decisions and characterize them in this 2-dimensional space. I will then discuss the approaches to solving these decision problems. 

Results/Conclusions

The examples will illustrate how a structured decision process can bring insights into the technical aspects of the problem, but can also lead to a more productive conversation among stakeholders and managers. More widespread adoption of structured decision processes has the potential to transform the management of endangered species. However, there are obstacles to overcome: a lack of technically-trained analysts and a lack of widespread familiarity and comfort with decision analysis on the part of managers.