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ARS Home » Plains Area » Las Cruces, New Mexico » Range Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #379514
Research Project: Science and Technologies for the Sustainable Management of Western Rangeland Systems

Location: Range Management Research

Title: Adaptive monitoring for multiscale land management: Lessons learned from the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) principles

Author
item KACHERGIS, EMILY - Bureau Of Land Management
item MILLER, SCOTT - Bureau Of Land Management
item McCord, Sarah
item DICKARD, MELISSA - Bureau Of Land Management
item SAVAGE, SHANNON - Bureau Of Land Management
item REYNOLDS, LINDSAY - Bureau Of Land Management
item LEPAK, NIKA - Bureau Of Land Management
item DIETRICH, CHRIS - Bureau Of Land Management
item GREEN, ADAM - Bureau Of Land Management
item NAFUS, ALETA - Bureau Of Land Management
item PRENTICE, KAREN - Bureau Of Land Management
item DAVIDSON, ZOE - Bureau Of Land Management

Submitted to: Rangelands
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/27/2021
Publication Date: 3/1/2022
Citation: Kachergis, E., Miller, S.W., McCord, S.E., Dickard, M., Savage, S., Reynolds, L.V., Lepak, N., Dietrich, C., Green, A., Nafus, A., Prentice, K., Davidson, Z. 2022. Adaptive monitoring for multiscale land management: Lessons learned from the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) principles. Rangelands. 44(1):50-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.08.006.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2021.08.006

Interpretive Summary: The AIM principles provide a framework for monitoring programs to meet multi-scale information needs for land management amidst the changing landscapes of rangeland ecosystems and the context of policy requirements. We conclude that the principles are sound, and worthy of consideration for design and adaptation of other rangeland monitoring efforts . The AIM principles have become the standard rangeland ecosystem monitoring approach within the BLM. While some principles must be strictly followed for effectiveness (standardization, data management), there is also a need for flexibility in some principles given appropriate rationale and documentation. Land managers also need additional datasets beyond rangeland condition for specific decisions, and AIM principles are useful for developing these datasets.

Technical Abstract: On the Ground • The BLM Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) strategy recommends five principles for building multi- scale monitoring programs: standardized methods and indicators; data management and stewardship; appro- priate sample designs; remote sensing integration; and structured implementation. These principles guide mon- itoring across public lands. • We find the AIM principles are sound and worthy of con- sideration for design and adaptation of rangeland mon- itoring programs worldwide. • An emergent principle, standard workflows and analysis frameworks for using data, connects data to land man- agement decision-making and empowers land man- agers. • The AIM principles inspire and provide opportunities for the rangeland management community to implement adaptive management.