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The ecosystem approach, a more holistic way to planning, research, and management of the Great Lakes basin, was articulated as a concept in the 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In order to stimulate movement of this concept to a series of implementable actions, an Ecosystem Approach Workshop was held in March 1983. This paper describes the process used to define common cause for a group of fifty-six participants representing a diverse spectrum of backgrounds. Three generic obstacles to attainment of an ecosystem approach, which emerged from pre-workshop efforts, were addressed by the workshop. They were: (1) lack of an holistic perspective, (2) predominance of “egosystem” thinking, and (3) lack of a preventive approach. The strategy suggested for overcoming the obstacles was identified as “enlightened self-interest”. The participants proposed 33 initiatives for advancing the ecosystem approach. These initiatives related to improving the acquisition of scientific data, directing institutional change for ecosystem management, improving citizen participation, paying the costs for resources use, education, and public awareness. In order to help implement these initiatives, establishment of an ecosystem approach monitoring group and an improved public information program is recommended. |
