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What The Hell is Science-Based Management?

In the same vein and often for the same reasons in opposition, the term “balanced-ecosystem” is used. Certainly not trying to straw-man, but to many, it seems that a balanced ecosystem is one that reaches and keeps a sort of sustainable undulating equilibrium sans any human interference or influence.
Unless I am mistaken, the same folks who promote “self-balancing ecosystems” much more often than not are also OK with unlimited free-range feral equids, oppose mitigation logging of fire-suppressed forests, and want to delete hundreds of square miles of wildlife habitat with solar farms.

If your thumb is on the ecological scales, a ban on managing predators is a dishonest position. Sure, there are plenty of examples of certain predator species in certain locations that self-regulate just fine, but it can never be all, with our insatiable thirst for development of wildlife habitat and natural resource extraction.
 
Science ends where the decision on how to apply the data begins.

Science tells us when abc are the factors, xyz is the observed result. There’s nothing scientific that determines what we should do with the data. That is a values based decision on the part of managers.
And attacking the science when it doesn't fit a desired result or belief says something about values.
 
And attacking the science when it doesn't fit a desired result or belief says something about values.
I would put a twist on this. Attacking or supporting the science without rigorous reasons is just politics, but attacking science with rigorous rationale is exactly how science works - ideas are put out there and rigorous challenges over a significant period of time identify what ideas work and what ideas are wrong.
 
I would put a twist on this. Attacking or supporting the science without rigorous reasons is just politics, but attacking science with rigorous rationale is exactly how science works - ideas are put out there and rigorous challenges over a significant period of time identify what ideas work and what ideas are wrong.
Well said
 
Well said
And to flog the equine -- one study by one person is not "science". Science happens over time and with much repetition, many contributions, and frequent critiques/challenges. Basing a public policy on one study is of little probative value and is often just pretty packaging on a preferred position.
 
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