Appendix 3
that the tribe must encounter. To promote the most optimal social-ecological balance for the modern Cherokee community, our EBCI Wildlife Action Plan organizes efforts and clarifies our intentions under an adaptive management perspective. An adaptive management scheme leverages an iterative process with decision-making capabilities built in where changes can be made at different rounds over time. Therefore, an adaptive management model is robust to outside disturbances, like the natural changes in the environment or changes in human decision-making. Following our assessment of the current biological conditions, we can determine how biological systems contribute, as a service, to the tribe (Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 2005). Our social-ecological conceptual model (Fig. 1) includes components of management actions and existing environments. The existing environments are represented by biological conditions and contributed services, as well as social and cultural decision-making, both of which are influenced by our work (management actions) but function independently. Arrows in this model indicate influences between components rather than a temporal process. The model could be used for focusing on projects or efforts that our program considers important. Our program’s primary work occurs within the pink shaded area represented by management actions (see Fig. 1), which includes Information Transfer and Processing, and Conservation Strategies. After we accumulate knowledge about the current biological conditions and what services our environment can provide to the tribe, we transfer and process this information to social and cultural decision-makers. Decision-makers (external stakeholders) can include tribal government, community, and partners (e.g. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service). Based either on our recommendations or social and cultural needs, decision-makers provide choices to support positive or negative pressures and conservation efforts, which cycles back to our management actions or functions independent of our efforts (see External Anthropogenic Threats & Benefits). If social and cultural decision-makers deemed them necessary, based on any anthropogenic threats or contributed services, our conservation actions might influence biological conditions. Therefore, within the information transfer and processing action at the second iteration (cycle two), there would be an assessment of what transpired from the first cycle. If decision-makers wish to support more management actions to develop conservation strategies, then we can alter our plans accordingly. Decisions made by leaders, influenced by existing Tribal and federal laws – lead to prioritization of conservation targets. The EBCI Fisheries and Wildlife Management office focuses the implementation of conservation
2025 NC Wildlife Action Plan
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