RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Resource Management Anything obtained from living
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Resource Management § Anything obtained from living and non living environment to meet human needs and wants is a resource. § Ensuring use of resources in a controlled and organized manner can be termed as resource management. § Resource management is based on the recognition that less resource use can lead to long term economic benefits and reduced environmental costs. Such management, while recognizing that some resource use is unavoidable, thus seeks to minimize use where possible.
Options of Resource Management § § § There are three basic options that resource management can apply to minimize resource use: Preservation: Refers to nonuse. A preserved national park or wilderness area (an area of undeveloped land affected primarily by the forces of nature; an area where humans are visitors only) set aside and (in theory at least) protected in its natural state. Restoration, seeks to return a degraded resources to its original state. For example, attempting to redirect a river into the original path that it followed before it was altered by humans or stop polluting a water body or land.
Options of Resource Management Conservation; attempts to minimize the use of a natural resources. Use can be minimized through; § Efficiency improvements (use of drip irrigation-an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing an emitters) § Recycling or reuse (e. g. recycling a ton of aluminum uses just 5% of energy required to make virgin/raw metal), and § Substitution of other resources (e. g. wind/solar/tidal energy substituting fossil fuel)
Role of Planning in Resource Management The planning system has historically sought to balance resource conservation and development. The system has the potential to: § Identify critical natural assets that must be conserved, preserved, restored at any cost. § Seek compensation for those non critical assets that are lost to development § Seek opportunities to create new ones § Seek ways to minimize damage to the resources.
Resource Management through Community Involvement § § An alternative to state led approach to resource management is involving communities for this purpose. Long lasting benefits can be achieved if there is acceptance of the need for community involvement by government and a demand for involvement from the community. Resource management through community involvement will be more successful if these conditions are also met; it must offer clear benefits to both government and community, where required legislation and by laws must allow for it, and adequate support services must be provided. Resource management through community involvement is now widely practiced in developed and developing countries.
Advantages of Community Based Approaches § People have more commitment to resource management plans they have helped develop § Involving multiple stakeholders and multiple sources of information enriches the process. § Community based approach provides access to situation specific information and experience that can often only be obtained by active involvement of local residents. § Participation is an important management tool, therefore active participation of all stakeholders is ensured throughout the process.
Disadvantages of Community Based Approaches § Risk of overburdening already very busy people. § Risk of false participation as compared to true participation § Participation treated as suitable to disadvantaged or low income groups can lead to inequality as compared to resource management being subsidized in other areas.
Types of Community Based Approaches § Passive Participation: Community participate by being told about things to be done. § Participation through information (giving): Community is asked questions about situations or needs § Participation through consultation: Community is consulted as to what should be done and may discuss different options being proposed by professionals but the later are not obliged to take community’s view into account. § Participation through contribution: Community is asked to provide labor or financial contribution but community is not given choice for options.
Types of Community Based Approaches § Participation through partnership: Community and other key others share resources, knowledge and risks in pursuits of common goals. Partnership can be long term and equitable. § Participation through self mobilization: Community get together to demand and/or implement things; the community ay develop contacts with external actors, some of whom may contribute organizational as well as technical skills, but community retains control over how the resources are used.
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