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The
concepts behind terms such as sustainable development, habitat
integrity, and biodiversity vary. This is not a result
of people disagreeing with the definitions for each of these terms,
but rather more due to the interests in having them interpreted
properly for specific circumstances, conditions and places. For
example, the issues behind sustainable development in
France are related but quite different from those in Canada. The
history, cultures, stages of resource development, human activities,
types of resources, existing acts and policies, and so on, in these
two countries all serve to create different priorities, goals and
pathways for achieving sustainable development.
The
notion of habitat integrity for wildlife refers to the
conditions (past, present and future) that exist in natural areas
through to more human modified areas (e.g. agricultural landscapes,
urban regions). Habitat integrity basically means the wholeness
of a habitat. In particular, wholeness includes whether the
range of ecological, biological and physical conditions needed to
sustain wildlife species and populations exist.
However,
how is integrity interpreted for various species, conditions and
habitat types? What are some of the questions that confront resource
managers, policy makers and scientists? The frame of reference for
habitat integrity must be derived from both scientific and technical
judgments by conservation experts and resource managers, as well
as by the inherent nature of Canada's habitats and species. Questions
of habitat integrity usually fall into two categories of concern:
- First,
how should a particular space or a linked series of spaces be
managed to sustain habitats and their wildlife?
- Secondly,
what process, tools and instruments should be used to improve
our abilities to foster and measure habitat integrity objectives?
WHC
staff presented a paper on Habitat
Integrity in Canada, at a workshop in France in 2003, that covered
these issues and more.
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