Ecosystem management - A needs driven, resource-use philosophy

Ecosystem management is a resource-use concept that has evolved as a result of increasing public awareness and society's concerns regarding the future availability of goods and services from the forest resource. This paper reviews the evolution of the ecosystem management philosophy and its use as an approach toward holistic resource stewardship to meet the ecological, social and economic needs of society. Successful implementation of ecosystem management will require ''top down'' support from senior level management in government and industry and ''bottom up'' support from field personnel and participating citizens. There will be a need to continually monitor and revisit social values in order to assess and evaluate the actual and projected results of management activity in the context of society's evolving expectations.