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The Role of Decision Support Systems in Natural Resource Management: Overview of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support Framework Kevin James, Heartland Inventory & Monitoring Network Resource Information Management Conference, Fort Collins, Colorado April 19-23, 2010. Outline.
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The Role of Decision Support Systems in Natural Resource Management: Overview of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support Framework Kevin James, Heartland Inventory & Monitoring NetworkResource Information Management Conference, Fort Collins, ColoradoApril 19-23, 2010
Outline Decision support system characteristics Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) components Unified planning process
What is a decision support system? A computer-based system composed of a language system, knowledge system, and problem-processing system whose collective purpose is the support of decision-making activities. - Holsapple (2003)
Knowledge-based system A knowledge base is a formal, typically logical, specification for the interpretation of information. -Walters and Nielson (1998)
Decision making process A method that guides an individual or group through a series of tasks from problem identification and analysis to design of alternatives and selection of an alternative. - Mintzberg et al. (1976)
Decision support system objectives • Improve the efficiency with which assessments are conducted • Optimize use of information • Better integration of diverse topics • More comprehensive analysis • Improve the quality of assessment products
What is EMDS? • Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) • Spatial decision support system • Application framework in the Windows environment • Knowledge-based decision support of ecological assessments at any geographic scale
EMDS 4.1 • EMDS Consortium • http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds • EMDS 4.1 standalone edition (ArcGIS engine) • EMDS 4.1 ArcGIS integrated edition (ArcGIS extension) • Full compatibility with ArcGIS 9.2, 9.3, and 9.3.1
EMDS integrated approach • Two-phase system: • Evaluation phase performed with logic engine: • fuzzy logic and dependency networks • Planning phase performed with decision engine: • rate alternatives against a set of criteria
EMDS framework • integrates software environments • GIS / spatial modeling • Knowledge-based processing • Netweaver (logic engine) • Data acquisition manager • Hotlink browser • Priority Analyst (decision engine) Image from The Redlands Institute www.institute.redlands.edu/emds
Spatial input: study area Multiple spatial scales: park management unit community type patch
Tabular input: logic structure 10 110 SC5 density
Spatial evaluation 10 110 SC5 density
Hotlink browser: explaining results • Evaluated logic model • Derivation of conclusions • Explore the dependency network • Increases transparency of results
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis component Uses output from the logicevaluation and a decision model. Rates landscape elements with respect to their condition, and factors related to the feasibility and efficacy of management. • Priority Analyst (PA)
Priority analyst output Aspatial output Spatial output
Natural resource management Ecosystem management: philosophical Adaptive management: operational Strategic planning: methodology
Adaptive, coherent planning Revise implementation ID key questions and data needs Evaluation with single model Implement selected alternative Applies to initial condition, alternatives, and plan performance. Generate alternatives Unified approach to evaluation adds coherence through institutional memory.
Assess current condition • Context for planning (where are we starting from?) • Evaluate alternative strategies • A framework for synthesizing results of scenarios • Harvest scheduling, vegetation modeling, etc. • Priority analysis for more tactical decisions • Which activities to do where? • Evaluate plan implementation • How well is the plan working? A single unified model for planning
Pacific Northwest Research Station, USFS • System design & project oversight • ESRI, primary contractor • ArcGIS implementation • Rules of Thumb, Inc. • Netweaver logic engine • InfoHarvest, Inc. • Priority Analyst engine EMDS Consortium • http://www.institute.redlands.edu/emds