A systematic process for continually improving management policies and
practices by learning from the outcomes of previously employed policies and
practices.
In active adaptive management, management is treated as a
deliberate experiment for the purpose of learning.
In active adaptive management, managers design practices so
as to discriminate between alternative models, and thus reveal the "best"
management action. This sometimes involves testing practices that differ from
"normal", in order to determine how indicators will respond over a range of
conditions.
In passive adaptive management, managers select the "best"
management option, assuming that the model on which the predictions are based is
correct.
Both passive and active adaptive management
require careful implementation, monitoring, evaluation of results, and
adjustment of objectives and practices. Active adaptive management usually
allows more reliable interpretation of results, and leads to more rapid
learning.
Source: Adaptive Management Initiatives in the BC Forest Service
Definitions
