Virginia Dale, a mathematical ecologist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and lead author of the ESA report, explains that the guidelines are meant to be flexible and to apply to diverse land-use situations. Implement land-use and management practices that are compatible with the natural potential of the area. Dale notes that the guidelines are based on principles of ecological science which have particular implications for land use and can assure that fundamental processes of the Earth's ecosystems are sustained. We know that each region has a unique set of organisms and conditions that influence the ecological processes you find there. It makes sense, says Dale, to try to match land use and management practices that are compatible with the natural potential of a given area and to avoid those that are inappropriate for that area.
Ecological knowledge can shed light on inappropriate land uses.
For example, farming on steep slopes often causes excessive amounts of valuable soil to wash away. Despite the pressures on land from population growth, urbanization, and resource consumption, the authors of the report are optimistic that poorly planned changes to the land and their ecological consequences are not inevitable. Through ESA reports, journals, membership research, and expert testimony to Congress, ESA seeks to promote the responsible application of ecological data and principles to the solution of environmental problems.