Reflection: The idea relates to my interests since it demonstrates that environmental management must evolve with the change in conditions. I can say that in my practice that a lot of issues occur because everyone is guided by some rigid rules and does not consider the impact that nature and society have on one another. SES approach can make us view people and the environment as a single system and utilize resources in a manner that can be sustained over a long period.

Defination: The SES environmental management approach implies treating the people and the nature as a single system. It is not comparable to the traditional frameworks since it involves the human behavior, social institutions and feedbacks with ecosystems and promotes adaptive and flexible management to be in a better place of coping with change and the uncertainty.

connection to concept: This concept is related to course material about adaptive management and resilience thinking, which focuses on connecting theory with the actual decision making. The watershed management in the U.S. is a good real life example, as the scientists, local communities, and government agencies collaborate to manage water resources in the terms of the ecological processes and social needs. With the help of an SES framework, it is more feasible, inclusive, and resilient to have the managers to understand better feedbacks between human activities and ecosystems, thus making the environmental management more practical.

comment on key idea: One major concept of social ecological systems (SES) science is the concept of resilience which adds investment to the capacity of the interconnected social and ecological systems to absorb disruptions, adapt to them and still survive. Such a view enhances the environmental management through transdisciplinary, adaptive approaches that appreciate complexity, uncertainty, and flexibility of governance as opposed to full control.

Question for the discussion: What are the practical applications of ideas of SES science by managers and communities that can work across disciplines and create resilience in actual environmental management scenarios?