SoNaRR interim report 2019: Five-step method
Step 1 - Introduction to the ecosystem or theme
Set out in brief the context, the known opportunities and existing threats to sustainable management of natural resources (SMNR), challenges to ecosystem resilience and supply of ecosystem services.
Briefly define the broad ecosystem (or crosscutting theme), its environmental conditions, land use, known opportunities and existing threats to SMNR.
- what are the social, environmental or economic opportunities being sought
- what are the known environmental pressures
- what are the challenges to ecosystem resilience
- what are the opportunities to maintain or increase wellbeing benefits
- interactions with other ecosystems (or crosscutting themes)
Step 2 - State and trends of natural resources and current management
State and condition of the ecosystem (or crosscutting theme) and trends, together with information on management of natural resources relevant to SMNR:
- baseline position of natural resources and ecosystems
- existing management: plans and land/sea use activities already in place - successes and challenges
Step 3 - Resilience
What does the state of natural resources and their management mean for the resilience of the ecosystem - understanding the impact of the extent and condition of natural resources on ecosystem resilience through:
- an assessment of ecosystem resilience – using the attributes from the Act
- need to identify both those ecosystems which are under pressure and those with spare capacity to contribute further to well-being goals through ecosystem service provision (eg provision of urban wellbeing benefits)
Step 4 - Ecosystem services
What does the state of natural resources and their management mean for the supply of ecosystem services to people including:
- the state and condition of natural resources in relation to the benefits derived from them
- an assessment of the contribution to the wellbeing goals needs to identify both those ecosystems which are under pressure and those with spare capacity to contribute further to well-being goals
Step 5: Options for more sustainable management
Identification and weighing up of opportunities:
- consider the scale of benefits to ecosystem resilience in relation to the effort required
- looking at the impact on ecosystem services of different options
- risk register: assessing costs and benefits of different options for action
- opportunity mapping of possible land management changes
- scenarios and horizon scanning
- valuation and cost, benefit analysis
- stakeholder input to help with prioritisation