Guide to Significant Wildlife Habitat - Door County Web Map

Obviously, these are broad concepts, which are not immediately applicable to given land use
decisions. Nevertheless, it is with such principles that we can begin to build the philosophical foundation
that determines the way in which we approach discussions about land use issues. Strategic ways of
thinking that may reasonably arise from the principles would include:
Assumption of value
The willingness to work under the assumption that each element of a natural system has
an important role to play in the health of the system, as a whole, even if the specific contribution
of the species is unknown. Accordingly, a threat to one component of a system is treated as a
threat to the system as a whole.
Thinking system — thinking forever
A shift away from planning and managing for the benefit of a few species and toward
planning and management at an ecosystem level, in which an effort is made to preserve the
structure and function of natural communities over the long term.
Erring on the side of caution
Acceptance of a certain degree of humility regarding the limits of our knowledge about
natural areas, and accordingly, the desire to err on the side of caution when evaluating whether a
given land use practice will have a negative affect on a species or community. If the structure of
a natural community is unduly compromised, there is a point, at which it can be expected to fail,
after which it will no longer serve valued ecological functions, such as water quality enhancement
or habitat for native species.
Protection over restoration
A heightened emphasis on proactive planning to protect natural sites rather than an
emphasis on restoration or mitigation, given the understanding that "created" or "built"
environments seldom achieve the same degree of complexity and diversity found in communities
of natural origins and that even modest restoration efforts are extremely costly.
A new aesthetic
A new aesthetic view of natural areas, in which system health and ecological integrity are
assigned greater value than purely scenic or recreational considerations.
Illustration of the Leopold Shack by Charles C. Bradley, Sr., with permission of The Aldo Leopold Foundation
Chapter 1– A Short Course in Ecology 17