Management

The Ecosystem Approach

An ecosystem is a geographic area including all the living organisms (people, plants, animals, and microorganisms), their physical surroundings (such as soil, water, and air), and the natural cycles that sustain them. All of these elements are interconnected. Managing any one resource affects the others in that ecosystem.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has adopted an ecosystem approach to conservation because we can't just look at a single animal, species, or piece of land in isolation from all that is around it. The ecosystem approach is comprehensive. It's based on all of the biological resources within a watershed and it considers the economic health of communities within that watershed. To learn more about the Ecosystem Approach, visit this site. Skip navigation links

Cultural Resources Management

Cultural resources are prehistoric and historic archaeological sites; historic buildings, structures, and records; certain types of museum collections; and traditional cultural or sacred properties that are important to Native Americans and other ethnic groups.

To date, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has identified over 8,000 cultural resources as a result of surveys completed on approximately 1% of the lands that it manages. The protection of traditional cultural properties and sacred areas is important to the identity and values of many communities. These areas allow us to reflect upon and appreciate the strengths of our nation's cultural diversity.

Back to top

Home | Wild Things | Visit Us | About Us | Management | Contact Us | Links | Site Map