Natural resource management

The Tongass National Forest in Alaska is managed by the United States Forest Service

Natural resource management (NRM) is the management of natural resources such as land, water, soil, plants and animals, with a particular focus on how management affects the quality of life for both present and future generations (stewardship).

Natural resource management deals with managing the way in which people and natural landscapes interact. It brings together natural heritage management, land use planning, water management, bio-diversity conservation, and the future sustainability of industries like agriculture, mining, tourism, fisheries and forestry. It recognizes that people and their livelihoods rely on the health and productivity of our landscapes, and their actions as stewards of the land play a critical role in maintaining this health and productivity.[1]

Natural resource management specifically focuses on a scientific and technical understanding of resources and ecology and the Life-supporting capacity of those resources.[2] Environmental management is similar to natural resource management. In academic contexts, the sociology of natural resources is closely related to, but distinct from, natural resource management.

  1. ^ "Resilient landscapes and communities managing natural resources in New South Wales" (PDF). Nrc.nsw.gov.au. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Bachelor of Applied Science (Natural Resource Management)". Massey University. Retrieved 27 October 2014.[permanent dead link]