Human activities increasingly dominate the global environment. Effective environmental management, to use, conserve and maintain natural capital is a major challenge worldwide. Managing the environment involves juggling a complex set of ecological economic and social objectives and priorities which differ nationally locally and regionally. Internationally there is a shift away from management on a sectoral basis toward a more holistic "Ecosystem Approach". Tim O'Higgins defines and describes a systems approach to environmental management. He explains a framework for analysis of environmental problems as social/ecological systems using fascinating examples from around the globe. This book combines expertise from the fields of ecology, economics and social sciences to provide an invaluable guide to the theory and practice of an ecosystem approach to management. The book is an invaluable source of information for lay-people as well as students of natural resource management or practitioners in the field.