EBM Tools

Linking Joint Objectives of Conserving Biodiversity and Sustaining Fishery Production: Case Study from the Pacific Northwest

The Nature Conservancy and partners at NOAA Fisheries, University of British Columbia and the University of Queensland have prepared a case study from the Pacific Northwest Coast that examines approaches and methods for linking biodiversity conservation and fishery production objectives within one spatial planning framework. Two EBM tools were used: the optimized site selection tool, Marxan, and a fisheries-based ecosystem modeling tool, Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE). Two approaches for combining these objectives are illustrated. In the first approach, Marxan solutions are developed with and without data on marine fish. In the second approach, Marxan solutions are directly linked to EwE models through the Ecospace module to evaluate the effects of selecting areas for the conservation of representative biodiversity on fishery production. Learn more.

Meeting Joint Objectives of Conserving Coastal Wetlands and Mitigating Hazards: Case Study from the Florida Panhandle

The Nature Conservancy and partners at NOAA Coastal Services Center and the University of Queensland have prepared a case study from the Florida Panhandle that examines approaches for jointly meeting objectives in biodiversity conservation and coastal hazard mitigation. Three EBM tools were used: the optimized site selection tool, Marxan; the coastal hazards planning tool, Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool (CVAT); and Ecoregional Assessment approach for biodiversity conservation. Learn more.

Alternatives for Coastal Development: Case Study from Coastal Georgia

NOAA Coastal Services Center has created the Alternatives for Coastal Development: One Site, Three Scenarios website that illustrates three hypothetical development scenarios for a residential area in coastal Georgia. A suite of EBM tools was used to calculate and compare economic, environmental, and social indicators for each scenario and visualize the scenarios. EBM tools used include CommunityViz ArcView 3.x extension for indicator development, the SGWater module of the U.S. EPA's free Smart Growth Index software for estimating pollutant runoff, and Visual Nature Studio for creating spatially referenced photorealistic 3-D scenes from each scenario. Learn more.

Transborder Watershed Research Program

The Tijuana River Watershed Project is a cooperative effort between San Diego State University (United States) and El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (Mexico) to initiate for the Tijuana River and Upper San Pedro River basins an integrative program of research that explores the gap between the transborder watershed as an ecological unit and the transborder watershed as a planning and administrative unit. EBM tools such as PLAnning for Community Energy Economic and Environmental Sustainability (PLACE3S), EPA's BASINS, and INDEX to answer the following questions:

• What economic, social, political, and ecological processes interact to generate land use patterns in the Tijuana River and Upper San Pedro River watersheds?

How do these land use patterns and processes influence environmental conditions?

• What factors have influenced the spatial and temporal distribution of land use?
• How does land use impact the quality and quantity of water available?
• What are the ecological consequences of water resource degradation?

Learn more about this project.

San Juan County Marine Resources Committee

The San Juan Marine Resources Committee, The Nature Conservancy, and the Northwest Straits Initiative are utilizing The Nature Conservancy's 5-S Framework to develop a science-based, strategic stewardship plan of action for the Marine Stewardship Area of the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. Learn more.

There are a wide variety of types of EBM tools.  The list belows describes the functionality of a variety of tools.  Not all tools within a specific tool type have all the functionality listed, however.

DECISION SUPPORT TOOLS- These tools are designed to facilitate common decisions for specific sectors or processes.  Types of Decision Support Tools in the EBM Tools Database include:

• Conservation and Restoration Site Selection Tools- These tools can identify and/or prioritize optimal sites for conservation and restoration using goals or criteria determined by the user.



• Coastal Zone Management Tools- These tools are designed specifically for coastal zone management issues and often incorporate data or simple models specific to coastal processes.



• Fisheries Management Tools- These tools help determine levels and types of fishing that are ecologically and/or economically sustainable.



• Hazard Assessment and Resiliency Planning Tools- These tools can help communities assess vulnerability to natural and man-made hazards, determine ways to reduce vulnerability, and prepare for possible emergencies.



• Land Use Planning Tools- Among other things, these tools can help determine what land uses are compatible with environmental goals (such as habitat or species protection, quality) and the impact of changes in land use on terrestrial and aquatic environments.

MODELING AND ANALYSIS TOOLS- These tools are designed to conduct scientific analyses of a varierty of processes.  There are numerous models that have been developed for specific regions, species, or ecosystems and are not included in database. These tools could be extremely useful to EBM projects. The best way to find out about these tools is to consult researchers at local universities or organizations.  Types of Modeling and Analysis Tools in the EBM Tools Database include:

• Model Development Tools- These tools help develop models of ecological or socioeconomic processes.



• Geographic Information Systems



• Watershed Models- These models simulate watershed processes and the influence of watershed changes (generally due to changes in land use) on freshwater and coastal ecosystems.



• Estuarine and Marine Ecosystem Models- These models simulate interactions between species and benthic and pelagic habitat in estuarine and marine environments.  [For information on a wider range of marine ecosystem models, we recommend the EUR-OCEANS Model Shopping Tool (MoST).  Learn more about MoST.]



• Oceanographic and Dispersal Models- These models simulate current flows and/or the dispersal of organisms and pollutants in the marine environment.



• Habitat suitability and species distribution models- These models estimate the habitat requirements or suitability of a given habitat for a species.



• Socioeconomic models- These models simulate economic and social processes, often in response to potential management actions.

DATA COLLECTION, PROCESSING, AND MANAGEMENT TOOLS- These tools help collect, process, and manage geophysical, biological, and socioeconomic data.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH TOOLS- These tools help engage stakeholders in decision making processes; faciliate communication between managers, scientists, and stakeholders; and educate stakeholders about ecological or management processes.

CONCEPTUAL MODELING TOOLS- These tools help develop conceptual models of the ecosystem, human interaction with natural ecosystems, and/or management processes.

VISUALIZATION TOOLS- These tools help scientists, managers, and stakeholders visualize the current state of resources and potential future states resulting from different management actions.  Many of the other types of tools include visualization capabilities.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS- These tools help manage projects including budgeting, scheduling, and reporting.

MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS- These tools help with monitoring and assessment functions such as selection sample sites.

Search for tools in the EBM Tools Database.

Tools that are NOT in the EBM Tools Database- There are thousands of tools out there. We have tried to limit the database to the ones that will be most useful for implementing EBM in coastal and marine environments. Some tools that we left out of the database are:

• Tools that are not actively maintained or supported.



• Tools that are primarily for for-profit businesses rather than resource management.



• Tools that deal solely with terrestrial environments with no consideration of influences on aquatic environments.  For a full range of land use planning tools, visit the PlaceMatters tools database.



• Tools that only model water flows or lower trophic levels, aspects of coastal and marine ecosystems which are not generally actively managed. Exceptions include coastal erosion, oil spill, and larval transport models designed to be used by managers.



• Tools that are highly specialized for particular regions, species, ecosystem, or project unless the concept appears to have widespread applicability for other projects.



• Fisheries stock assessment models that do not deal with species' interactions.



• Tools that are primarily databases or non-analytical mapping tools for specific projects unless the concept appears to have widespread applicability for other projects. 

Gulf of Maine EBM Toolkit Survey Report

The Gulf of Maine EBM Toolkit Survey was conducted in 2007 to help determine the types of tools and information needed to put EBM into practice.  The survey included 55 people involved in ocean and coastal management in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and U.S. and Canadian federal waters.  The report provides region-specific information on management issues to which practitioners seek to apply EBM, critical obstacles to implementing EBM, and tools and information needed to put EBM into practice.  Learn more. 

EBM Tools and Tools Training Needs Assessment

Results of a survey on what ecosystem-based management (EBM) practitioners need in terms of tools and capacity-building were released in September 2007. The Web and phone survey was prepared by Intelligent Marine Planning and the EBM Tools Network. Respondents shared their views on what they consider as the most severe problems for implementing EBM; the most critical needs for planning and implementing EBM; the importance of increasing awareness of EBM tools; and other data. [Please note: The Tools Training Needs Assessment document can be downloaded from the bottom of this page.]

Other Tool Needs 

The following list of tool needs is based on our analysis of what tools do or do not exist to support the different steps in the EBM process and discussions with EBM implementers and tool developers. We provide this list to stimulate tool development in these areas.

• "Framework" Tools to Support the EBM Process
  • Tools to guide practitioners through the EBM process and reference appropriate tools and case studies throughout the proces
• Tools that Account for Socioeconomic Factors
  • Tools to translate social knowledge and concerns into geospatial data layers
  • Tools that incorporate social and economic factors into prioritizing management actions
  • Tools that estimate the impact of management actions on social and economic goals
• Tools to Engage and Communicate with Stakeholders
  • User-friendly tools that allow stakeholders to learn about ecosystem processes and the relationships between ecological, social, and economic factors, possibly in a game-type format
  • Tools to help stakeholders visualize the impacts of possible management actions
• Tools that Account for Land-Sea Interactions
  • Tools that predict the impacts of terrestrial conservation and restoration actions on freshwater and coastal water quality and ecosystems
• Incorporation of Dynamic Ecosystem Processes in Planning and Management Tools
  • Planning and management tools that incorporate 3D and time-varying ecosystem processes, such as larval transport and pollutant dispersal
• Inclusion of Confidence Information in Tools
  • Tools that report the level of uncertainty for results
  • Tools that show to what degree uncertainty is due to data availability/quality, assumptions, or analytical models so further data collection/research can be targeted at these areas
• Tools that Help Develop and Implement Monitoring Plans
  • Tools that help develop measurable ecological, social, and economic indicators for monitoring
  • Tools that help develop scientifically-valid monitoring plans and monitoring budgets
• Tools that Support EBM Implementation
  • Tools that link elements for management with implementing institutions and provide information about pertinent regulatory constraints and permitting processes and available funding sources
  • Tools that help develop realistic implementation budgets
• Tools that Mine Data or Assist with Data Processing
  • Although data mining and processing tools are not generally considered EBM tools, getting data into tools is one of the biggest hurdles for using EBM tools
• Sustainable Business Models for Tools
  • Tools with sustainable long-term business models, including funding sources for model upgrades as platforms and technology change and tool user support

Advancing Ecosystem-Based Management: A Decision Support Toolkit for Marine Managers

This toolkit provides guidance to managers and EBM practitioners for jointly addressing multiple objectives in biodiversity conservation, fishery production, and coastal hazard mitigation. It utilizes a number of EBM tools, including Ecoregional Assessments, MARXAN, Ecopath with Ecosim, and the Community Vulnerability and Assessment Tool. Learn more. 

Some of the key principles of Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) are:

• Integration of ecological, social, and economic goals and recognition of humans as key components of the ecosystem.
• Consideration of ecological- not just political- boundaries.
• Addressing the complexity of natural processes and social systems and using an adaptive management approach in the face of resulting uncertainties.
• Engaging multiple stakeholders in a collaborative process to define problems and find solutions.
• Incorporating understanding of ecosystem processes and how ecosystems respond to environmental perturbations.
• Concern with the ecological integrity of coastal-marine systems and the sustainability of both human and ecological systems.

For additional information about EBM, see the COMPASS Consensus Statement on EBM.