Ecological triage

Ecological triage is an approach to decision making and prioritization of ecological restoration using the concepts of triage in medical situations.

Basic principles

An underlying assumption behind prioritization is that not all areas can be saved, making decision making necessary. The two key paramaters of this triage model are

• the level of threat and
• the probability of recovery

Priorities can thereby be categorised into various options, such as

• urgent intervention to halt an imminent decline
• 'lost causes'
• threat prevention

References

• Hobbs, Richard J. and Kristjanson, Linda J. (2003). "Triage: How do we prioritize health care for landscapes?", Ecological management and restoration, 4(39-45).