Challenges and Opportunities
Resource and environmental managers frequently must deal with ongoing change, complexity, uncertainty, and conflict, often meaning that there is not one obviously correct way to manage situations. In that context, this chapter introduces key concepts related to resource and environmental management: complex social and ecological systems, the Anthropocene, wicked problems, ambiguity, and tipping points. The characteristics of each are described, and their significance explained. In addition, experiences from Tanzania, the Philippines, the United States, and India are presented to illustrate the importance of these concepts in practical resource and environmental management situations. Rangarirai Taruvinga shares a guest statement in which he explores the pressures and options related to social-ecological complexity in Swaziland in Africa.